The protesters called for the abolition of the existing Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and demanded the withdrawal of the proposed PSTA Bill.
The protest comes after Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill to Parliament on October 6. The proposed legislation seeks to repeal and replace the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979.
The Bill introduces a new legal framework covering terrorism and related offences, including provisions governing the identification, arrest, detention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of individuals accused of such offences.
It also seeks to safeguard Sri Lanka’s national security and protect the public from terrorist acts committed within or outside the country. In addition, the proposed legislation aims to prevent Sri Lankan territory from being used to prepare terrorist activities overseas.
Opposition to the proposed law has prompted calls for the Government to withdraw the Bill, while the legislation’s parliamentary progress remains a key issue in the debate over Sri Lanka’s counterterrorism legal framework.
