Sarvajana Balaya MP Dilith Jayaweera on Friday accused the National People’s Power (NPP) government of misusing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in a manner never seen before in Sri Lanka’s history, Ada Derana reported.

Jayaweera made the remarks while speaking to reporters at his party’s Colombo head office after meeting India’s Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Dr Satyanjal Pandey, alongside a Sarvajana Balaya delegation.

“Before coming to power, this government pledged that it would not use the Prevention of Terrorism Act. They themselves pointed out that it was a law that could be misused,” he said. “However, it has never been misused to this extent throughout history. This is the most serious abuse of the Act, particularly through the use of detention orders.”

He added that the party expected to launch a national-level protest “because this situation cannot be allowed to continue any further”.

Jayaweera also defended retired Major General Suresh Sallay, the former State Intelligence Service chief currently in PTA detention over alleged links to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. “Major General Suresh Sallay was a decisive figure in the efforts to bring an end to terrorism in Sri Lanka,” he said. “The first thing he deserves is the respect and gratitude of the people for that contribution. If any allegations are made against him, he should be afforded the same presumption of innocence that is guaranteed to every citizen of Sri Lanka.”

The Sallay file has produced a string of PTA-related rulings in recent weeks, including a psychiatric report submitted to court on 3 June and an Office of the Special Counsel ruling expected on 10 June. Sarvajana Balaya colleague Udaya Gammanpila has separately filed legal complaints framing the broader pattern of detention orders as a rights violation.

The intervention follows the arrest and remand of a 24-year-old Kilinochchi singer under Section 3(G) of the PTA over alleged LTTE-glorifying songs at a Chavakachcheri concert — the latest case to draw cross-bench criticism. SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa on Thursday accused the NPP of selective application of the same statute. The government has not yet responded to Jayaweera’s call for a national protest.

Source: Ada Derana.