CPA’s commentary on the proposed amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act note the minimalist approach and basic reforms insufficient to address ground realities. Aspects which require urgent reform as highlighted by legal scholars, civil society actors and even the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka have also not been addressed in the Bill. […]
31st January, 2022, Colombo, Sri Lanka: This commentary examines in brief, proposed amendments for the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA) which were approved by Cabinet on 24 January 2022 and subsequently gazetted. The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has prepared this document as an initial comment to the proposed amendments with further advocacy […]
December 17th, 2021, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The COVID-19 health crisis has posed a range of unprecedented legal, political, economic and social challenges for Sri Lanka since March, 2020. While the government was successful in containing the first wave of COVID-19, the pandemic response has since unravelled, revealing issues with the heavily militarised and politicised approach […]
November 29th, 2021: The right to protest, as manifested in the freedom of assembly, association, and expression, is an important feature of a democratic society that facilitates civic engagement in political processes beyond just voting at elections. This right is vital for the healthy functioning of a democracy, and while it is recognized that the […]
14th October, 2021, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned about the proposed Bill to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, published in the Gazette on the 8th of October 2021. The proposed amendments seek to dispense with the requirement of producing a suspect or accused before the Magistrate […]
September, 2, 2021, Colombo, Sri Lanka: On the 30th of August 2021, by way of Gazette 2243/1, President Gotabaya Rajapakse issued a proclamation under Section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance (Chapter 40) as amended. In the Proclamation, the President states that ‘I am of the opinion that it is considered expedient to do so […]
19th July, 2021, The Sri Lankan government enacted a Constitutional Amendment within the first two months of its coming into power in August, 2020. The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, so enacted, bears as its central feature the concentration of powers in the Executive President, and thereby erodes several of the democratic reforms introduced by […]
Centre for Policy Alternatives on 10 February, 2022