The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has filed a petition at the Supreme of Sri Lanka against the proposed anti-terrorism bill which was placed on the order book in Parliament recently.
Speaking to The Newsdesk today (10), Rehan Jayawickreme, Vice- Chairman of the SJB youth and petitioner against the anti-terrorism bill on behalf of the party, stated that the bill went against the fundamental rights of citizens in the country.
“The proposed anti-terrorism bill is actually worse than the prevention of terrorism act which the Government hopes to repeal. This bill doesn’t do any such good This not only goes against the basic fundamentals of the constitution, but also goes against special clauses in the constitution. We have filed a special determination case challenging this proposed anti-terrorism bill,” said Jayawickreme.
Jayawickreme further noted that he was represented by President’s Counsel (PC) Farman Cassim and Attorney – at- law Hejaz Hizbullah, and the petition was filed by instructing attorney Ms Tharmaraj Farmajan.
On the 22nd of March, when the Anti-Terrorism Bill was first gazetted, it attracted widespread condemnation, with strong criticism from multiple quarters.
This was then further ammended and once again gazetted on the 18th of September 2023.
