Day: September 23, 2023

In a recent analysis of the Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATA) gazetted in September 2023, attorney-at-law Ermiza Tegal highlighted that there are minimal substantive differences between this version and the earlier one from March 2023. Tegal’s examination reveals that the core contentious features of the March 2023 ATA remain intact in the September 2023 ATA. The key concerns with the legislation include: A broad definition of terrorism that could potentially target dissent, expression, assembly, and association. Extensive powers granted to the police, armed forces, and coast guard, allowing them to arrest, search,…

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  In a resounding statement of concern, the Lawyers’ Collective, a prominent legal advocacy group in Sri Lanka, has vehemently condemned the recently gazetted Anti-Terrorism Bill and Online Safety Bill, calling them a threat to democracy and civil liberties in the country. The Anti-Terrorism Bill and Online Safety Bill, which were gazetted in September 2023 by the Sri Lankan government, have come under fire from the legal community for their purportedly excessive executive discretionary powers and lack of transparency in their formulation. The Lawyers’ Collective pointed out that the government…

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