Advocating for a separate state or a federal system of governance as a political stance will not be classified as a terrorist offence under Sri Lanka’s proposed legislation, the Justice Minister said.
Speaking during a television broadcast on the state-owned Independent Television Network, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara clarified the legal scope of the new Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA).
The statement was made in response to questions about the legal implications of sharing information related to proscribed organisations under the updated framework.
Political discourse protected under new law
The proposed legislation relies heavily on a precise legal definition of terrorism to determine offences across all its clauses.
While the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) remains a banned group within Sri Lanka, the minister noted that expressing political views remains distinct from terrorist acts.
Illustrating the government position, he explained that if a newly formed group calls for self-determination or federalism, such demands are treated strictly as political opinions.
The draft law safeguards the right to express views, criticism, beliefs, and opposition as part of legitimate political debate.
Holding or voicing these political positions by any party, outside specific existing regulations on the LTTE, will not constitute terrorism, he said.
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