Sri Lanka's New Terror Law Could Jail Christians For A Year Without Trial

Sri Lanka's New Anti Terror Law Threatens Christians and Religious Minorities With Unchecked Government Power

The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) has sounded the alarm over the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA), warning it could be weaponized against Christians and other religious minorities.

The PSTA was published in late December 2025 as a replacement for the widely condemned Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a law enacted in 1979 as a temporary wartime measure that became permanent in 1982. For over 40 years, the PTA authorized security forces to detain individuals for up to 18 months without charge.

The abuse is not hypothetical. Poet Ahnaf Jazeem was detained for 19 months without trial before being acquitted in 2023 after writing verses that condemned violence and promoted peace. Human rights lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah was held for 22 months after Easter Sunday bombing accusations that were later changed to speech related charges.

NCEASL documented 124 incidents targeting religious minorities between November 2023 and October 2024. Christians were the primary targets, comprising 54.8% of victims across 68 incidents. Muslims and Hindus each accounted for 22.6% of incidents.

When definitions are vague, the line between legitimate advocacy and alleged terrorism becomes dangerously blurred.

That warning came from Godfrey Yogarajah, NCEASL general secretary, who pointed to the PSTA's broad definition of terrorism, which criminalizes acts intended to "intimidate the public" or "compel the Government."

Under the new law, officials can still detain suspects for up to one year without magistrate oversight. Human Rights Watch concluded the PSTA fails to meet international human rights standards.

The European Union had previously conditioned trade preferences on PTA reform. Despite repeated promises by successive Sri Lankan governments, meaningful reform has not materialized.

Sri Lanka Replaces Old Terror Law With New One That Still Targets Christian Communities

Pastor Jerome Fernando was arrested in December 2023 under separate security legislation after sermon comments that critics claimed offended Buddhist sentiments, highlighting how existing laws are already being used to silence Christian voices.

The Church of Ceylon has urged the government to withdraw the draft entirely and repeal the PTA outright rather than replace it with another instrument of oppression.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let's call this what it is: Sri Lanka is dressing up the same persecution in a new legal costume. A poet writes about peace and gets locked up for 19 months. A pastor preaches a sermon and faces arrest. Meanwhile, the government tells the world it's "reforming." Christians in Sri Lanka are being told their faith is a threat to national security. If any Western nation passed a law that could jail Muslims for a year without trial for "intimidating the public," the United Nations would be in emergency session by morning. But when it happens to Christians in Asia, the world barely whispers. This law is not about fighting terrorism. It is about controlling anyone who dares to believe differently in a Buddhist majority state. Silence is complicity.

Take Action

• Pray specifically for the NCEASL and Godfrey Yogarajah as they advocate for religious freedom in Sri Lanka. Share their story with your church community this week.
• Contact your country's Sri Lankan embassy and urge them to reject the PSTA in its current form. Find your nearest embassy at embassypages.com/srilanka.
• Support persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka through www.TheShepherdsShield.org, which provides direct aid to persecuted believers worldwide.
• Donate to Open Doors, which monitors and supports persecuted Christians across Asia, including Sri Lanka.
• Sign the petition at Human Rights Watch calling on Sri Lanka to bring the PSTA in line with international human rights standards.