Opposition MP Harsha de Silva says a 22-year-old youth recently arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (ACT) has been released in anticipation of the upcoming discussion with the European Commission.
Addressing the Parliament, MP Harsha de Silva said that despite several governments, including the incumbent government, promising to repeal the PTA, it has been used once again to detain a youth.
MP de Silva pointed out that as a European Union delegation is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in two weeks, the Government immediately released the youth who was detained under the PTA.
“A youth working at a store in Slave Island was detained under the PTA over a sticker. The detention under the PTA was made under an order signed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. But what happened? You received telephone calls from various persons. Due to the European Commission coming to Sri Lanka for the evaluation of the GSP+, the detained youth was released,” he said.
The opposition MP added that the motive behind the matter cannot be concealed from the EU officials, as was done with the Sri Lankan public. (Newswire)