CHRISTIAN groups in Sri Lanka have warned that a proposed counter-terrorism law could entrench rather than end decades-old abuses against religious and ethnic minorities.

The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) says that the draft Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA) — intended to replace the widely criticised Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) — retains vague definitions and sweeping detention powers that could criminalise peaceful advocacy, religious work, and dissent.

A recent example of the use of the PTA concerned Ahnaf Jazeem, a Muslim poet who was detained for 19 months without charge over allegedly “extremist” content.

Human-rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, say that the PTA disproportionately targets Tamils, Muslims, journalists, and activists, fostering a climate of fear and impunity.

Christian leaders argue that the PSTA’s extraterritorial reach and broad definition of terrorism could also endanger diaspora advocacy and humanitarian work. Despite government promises of reform, and pressure exerted by the EU and the UN, arrests under the PTA have reportedly continued into 2025.