Suppression of rights using the Prevention of Terrorism Act

Under the infamous PTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) enacted in 1979, the defense minister could detain anyone for 90 days on “suspicion of terrorist activities”. The Defense Minister can extend the detention up to 180 days. The PTA gives the police broad powers to arbitrarily arrest and detain anyone without charge.The use of torture to obtain confessions by the police in Sri Lanka is allowed to present these “confessions” as evidence in court.The government has the power under the PTA to ban any organization it deems “terrorist,” and it can…

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The youth who was imprisoned for 12 years under the PTA Act has been released

A Tamil youth who was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and imprisoned for more than 12 years without charge has been acquitted and released by a court. The Moneragala Magistrate’s Court has acquitted and released Kadirvelu Kabilan, a 20 year old youth. He is a resident of Akkarepattu, Sinnapanamkattai in the Ampara District. Kadirvelu Kabilan, who was arrested on May 20, 2009 after the end of the war in the North, has been remanded in custody for one and a half years and remanded from February 15, 2011…

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