Data released by the Sri Lankan government show that at least 30 individuals remain in remand under the much-criticised Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), including for offences allegedly connected to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), more than 15 years since its military defeat.
The figures were obtained by former commissioner of Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission Ambika Satkunanathan through a Right to Information (RTI) request. Scores of individuals remain in detention or on bail, years after their initial arrests, while trials continue to drag on with limited transparency or accountability.
According to the data, as of April 2024:
6 individuals remain in remand for offences allegedly connected to the LTTE.
34 persons are currently on bail but have yet to be formally indicted.
49 individuals are out on bail but face ongoing trials after being indicted.
Notably, 81 individuals were acquitted between 2020 and 2023.
With regards to offences linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings:
24 individuals remain in remand.
34 individuals are on bail but have yet to be indicted.
54 persons are out on bail with ongoing trials.
Crucially, 365 individuals were acquitted between 2019 and 2023.
The high number of acquittals “show that arbitrary arrests and detention under PTA were/are common,” tweeted Satkunanathan. “Arrest first and ask Qs later has been the norm.”
She went on to cite the example of Selvachandran Chandrabose, a Tamil man who was arrested when he was 27 years old and forced to confess after torture during administrative custody. He spent 13 yrs in remand, was indicted on basis of confession and acquitted in Dec 2019.
He died less than 2 years after his acquittal, said Satkunanathan.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act, initially introduced in 1979 as a “temporary” measure, has been heavily criticised for facilitating arbitrary arrests, torture, and prolonged detentions, particularly targeting Tamil and Muslims.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly called for the repeal of the PTA and an end to its discriminatory use. However, Sri Lanka’s successive governments, including the current administration, have yet to repeal the act.