- Says to be based on int’l norms/standards, domestic needs
In the context of seeking to introduce an Anti-Terrorism Act to repeal and replace the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979 as amended (PTA), the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has stated that it is mindful of the need to ensure the just and fair application and enforcement of an effective system for the administration of criminal justice against terrorism, based on international norms and standards and domestic needs.
This has been noted in the Anti-Terrorism Bill which has been gazetted recently.
The Preamble of the Bill states that the proposed law is to provide for the protection of national security and the people from acts of terrorism and associated acts, committed within or outside the country; for the prevention of the use of Sri Lankan territory and citizens for the preparation of terrorism outside the country; to detect, identify, apprehend, arrest, detain, investigate, prosecute and punish anyone who has committed the same; and to repeal the PTA. Moreover, the Preamble notes that Sri Lanka is under obligation to enact laws to give domestic legal effect to international instruments relating to the countering of any acts of terrorism to which Sri Lanka has become a signatory to.
Section 3 of the Bill defines the offence of terrorism thus: (1) Any person, who commits any act or illegal omission specified in Subsection (2), with the intention of (a) intimidating the public, (b) wrongfully or unlawfully compelling the GoSL, any other Government or an international organisation to do or abstain from doing any act, (c) unlawfully preventing any such Government from functioning, (d) violating the territorial integrity or the infringement of the sovereignty of Sri Lanka or any other sovereign country, or (e) propagating war or advocating national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence; (2) An act or an illegal omission referred to in Subsection (1) shall be (a) murder, (b) grievous hurt, (c) hostage taking, (d) abduction or kidnapping, (e) causing serious damage to any place of public use, a State or Governmental facility, any public or private transportation system or any infrastructure facility or environment, (f) causing serious obstruction or damage to or interference with essential services or supplies or with any critical infrastructure or logistic facility associated with any essential service or supply, (g) committing the offence of robbery, extortion or theft, in respect of State or private property, (h) causing serious risk to the health and safety of the public, (i) causing serious obstruction or damage to or interference with any electronic or automated or computerised system or network or cyber environment of domains assigned to or websites registered with such domains assigned to Sri Lanka, (j) causing the destruction of or serious damage to religious or cultural property, (k) causing serious obstruction or damage to or interference with any electronic analog, digital or other wire linked or wireless transmission system including signal transmission and any other frequency based transmission system, (l) being a member of an unlawful assembly for the commission of any act or illegal omission set out in Paragraphs (a) to (k), or (m) without lawful authority, importing, exporting, manufacturing, collecting, obtaining, supplying, trafficking, possessing or using firearms, offensive weapons, ammunition, explosives, or any article or thing used or intended to be used in the manufacture of explosives, or combustible or corrosive substances or any biological, chemical, electric, electronic or nuclear weapon, other nuclear explosive device, nuclear material or radioactive substance or radiation emitting device.
Source By themorning.lk
