Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the proposed counter terrorism law is tough on ordinary citizens by having provisions that can be used to stifle political dissent and the freedom of expression. The former strongman president in a statement yesterday said the new law is designed to treat terrorists with the utmost leniency to the extent where its actual effect will be that of protecting and giving encouragement to terrorists – not countering terrorism.
"Our Penal Code prescribes the death penalty for killing just one person, but under the proposed counter terrorism law, a terrorist convicted of killing hundreds of or even thousands of people can only be given a maximum sentence of life imprisonment," he said.
Rajapaksa noted that the draft counter terrorism law that has been presented to Parliament has encountered opposition from political and media activists on the grounds that that the way it defines the term 'terrorism' leaves room for legitimate political and trade union action as well as the dissemination of information and protection of sources by the media to be labeled as terrorist activity.
However, Rajapaksa credits the former UNP government that introduced the Prevention of Terrorism act in 1979 as a tough law.
"There is no argument about the fact that the Prevention of Terrorism Act introduced by the UNP government in 1979 is a tough law. But we have had to deal with the most ruthless terrorists the world has ever seen and that would not have been possible if not for such laws," he noted.
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