{"id":232017,"date":"2023-03-31T14:57:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T09:27:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=232017"},"modified":"2023-04-01T18:11:52","modified_gmt":"2023-04-01T12:41:52","slug":"proposed-anti-terror-bill-set-to-introduce-the-death-penalty-break-existing-human-rights-violations-record-icj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/proposed-anti-terror-bill-set-to-introduce-the-death-penalty-break-existing-human-rights-violations-record-icj\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposed \u201cAnti-Terror\u201d Bill Set To Introduce The Death Penalty &#038; Break Existing Human Rights Violations Record: ICJ"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><b>The <span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s=International+Commission+of+Jurists\">International Commission of Jurists<\/a><\/span> is concerned that the newly proposed anti-terrorism legislation, if adopted as currently formulated, will give rise to a panoply of human rights violations and, much as the existing \u201c<span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s=PTA\">Prevention of Terrorism Act<\/a><\/span>\u201d, is open to misuse.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">On 22 March 2023, the government of Sri Lanka published the proposed 97-page (<a href=\"http:\/\/documents.gov.lk\/files\/bill\/2023\/3\/304-2023_E.pdf\"><span class=\"s2\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Anti- Terrorism Bill\u201d (Gazette notification dated 17 March 2023<\/span>)<\/span><\/a><span class=\"s2\">,<\/span> which, if adopted, would replace the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA). The Bill purports to do away with the provisions of the PTA that were considered in violation of international human rights law.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">However, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is extremely concerned, in particular, by clause 4(1)(a) of the Bill, which, if adopted in its current formulation, would introduce the death penalty for \u201cthe terrorism offence of murder\u201d. Sri Lanka has been a <i>de facto<\/i> abolitionist country for decades, given that a moratorium on executions has been in place in Sri Lanka since 1976. The ICJ is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances, as a violation of the right to life, and as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. \u201cPurported threats to national security, whether or not arising in connection with acts of \u2018terrorism\u2019, should not be used as a justification for the death penalty\u201d, said Livio Zilli, ICJ\u2019s Senior Legal Adviser. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">The Bill does feature certain improvements on the PTA, such as:<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>* the removal of a provision pursuant to which a detainee\u2019s confession to a police officer without the presence of the detained person\u2019s lawyer is admissible;<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>* the requirement for the arresting officer to issue a document notifying the arrest to the next of kin of the accused immediately or at least within 24 hours;<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>* employing women police officers to arrest\/question and search women;<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>* guaranteed access to translation in a language of the accused\u2019s choice of information relating to the arrest; and<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>* an obligation to bring the detainee before a magistrate every 14 days when the person is detained without a Detention Order (DO).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">However, the ICJ considers that the Bill\u2019s other problematic aspects clearly outweigh the positives. In addition to the above-mentioned concern about the introduction of the death penalty, of particular concern is the overbroad and vague definition in clause 3 of \u201cacts of terrorism\u201d that can be interpreted in a manner that stifles dissent and to crush peaceful protests. Clause 16 further identifies disobeying any direction issued under the Act as a \u201cterrorist offence\u201d. This creates a fresh category of offences likely to be misused by the present government and future administrations against any kind of opposition.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">\u201cIf enacted as currently formulated, these vague and overbroad offences, similar to and building up on those contained in the PTA, are open to abuse and, as such, they violate Sri Lanka\u2019s international legal obligations and the country\u2019s own constitutional guarantees under Article 13,\u201d said Livio Zilli.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">A key precondition to a fair trial under international law is that criminal offences must be prescribed by law and conform to the principle of legality. The principle of legality requires that crimes be classified and described in precise and unambiguous language that narrowly defines the punishable offence with a clear definition of the criminalized conduct, establishing its elements and the factors that distinguish it from conduct that is not criminally proscribed. Criminal law must not proscribe any act or omission in terms that are vague, imprecise, arbitrary or overly broad. Vague laws undermine the rule of law because they leave the door open to selective and arbitrary interpretation, law enforcement and prosecution.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">Moreover, if enacted in its current form, the bill would provide limited judicial oversight while granting law enforcement officials additional powers than those they currently enjoy under the PTA. For example, under clause 28 (2)(a) the Magistrate may not review a detention order made by any Deputy inspector general of police (DIG) in the country. Pursuant to clause 28 (b) (iii) as currently formulated, when a detention order has not been issued or placed before the Magistrate, a Magistrate could discharge an accused only if the Officer-in-Charge of the police station requested it and the Magistrate agreed to it. Such provision infringes the separation of powers by arrogating to the police a power that is properly that of the judiciary &#8212; in this instance by making the decision of the Magistrate to discharge the accused dependent upon the Officer-in-Charge requesting the accused\u2019s discharge in the first place.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">The maximum period of detention under a detention order is 12 months (clause 37) with the police having to file a confidential report that includes the allegation against the accused, the investigation\u2019s findings and the reasons for further detention, with a Magistrate after the first three months (clause 36). The Magistrates cannot review a detention order ordered by a DIG. In the absence of a detention order, the accused is to be brought before a Magistrate every 14 days (clause 38).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">While the Bill allows for Magistrates to visit places of detention and for the accused to have access to lawyers, Sri Lanka\u2019s experience under the PTA in the last 44 years has shown that such safeguards do not offer much protection since Magistrates often do not have the time to visit places of detention, such as prisons, due to their workload. Similarly, even if detainees are granted access to lawyers, it has rarely ever been in private.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">If adopted as currently formulated, the Bill would establish two bodies, namely the Board of Review chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, and an Independent Review Panel to be appointed by the President, purportedly to ensure oversight. However, such bodies would lack the required independence necessary to carry out any effective oversight of the enforcement of the law.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Rather, it would seem that, instead of acting as necessary checks on police abuses, both bodies would likely be helpful in concealing any irregularities that may characterize the legislation\u2019s enforcement.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">The Bill also empowers the President to proscribe organizations on the recommendation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) or of the government if there are \u201dreasonable grounds to believe\u201d that the concerned organization has engaged in an act amounting to an offence under the proposed law or in \u201can unlawful manner prejudicial to the national security of Sri Lanka\u201d (clause 82).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">The President may also declare any place: a \u201dprohibited place\u201d, if so requested by the IGP or the commanders of the armed forces or the Director General of the Coast Guard (clause 85). There is no time limit set for the period of prohibition and any place can potentially be declared a \u201cprohibited place\u201d. This easily allows for repression of any dissent since the police need not have to go before the Magistrate to obtain time limited restraining orders against protests as is the current practice, but instead, immediately get the site of protest declared a prohibited place. Such acts violate the right to be free from arbitrary arrest as per Article 13 of the Constitution, as well as the freedoms of speech and expression, of peaceful assembly and of association all protected under Article 14 of the Sri Lankan Constitution. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">Further, the President may also issue regulations to implement \u201crehabilitation programmes\u201d for persons for whom the Attorney-General has recommended a deferment or suspension of criminal action (clause 100). This is especially concerning since, in the past, accused persons have been coerced into accepting \u201crehabilitation\u201d, particularly in cases where the State has had little or no evidence to put them on trial.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\">The ICJ has consistently called for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been used to arbitrarily detain suspects for months and often years without charge or trial, facilitating torture and other abuse. United Nations human rights bodies, including most recently the Human Rights Committee, have consistently called on Sri Lanka to enforce a moratorium on the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act pending repeal and <span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/press-releases\/2023\/03\/un-human-rights-committee-publishes-findings-egypt-panama-peru-sri-lanka\"><span class=\"s2\">to repeal the Act<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>In this connection, the ICJ renews its call on Sri Lanka to repeal the PTA and immediately halt attempts to replace it with an even worse piece of legislation, as it is the case with respect to the current draft of \u201cthe Anti-Terrorism Bill\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":230227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2186,1,2375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-232017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-featured-news","category-news","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - 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