Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has rejected claims that Sri Lanka’s proposed Organized Crime Prevention Bill would allow individuals to be arrested simply for having tattoos, long hair or particular clothing styles.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday (20), the minister said misleading interpretations of the proposed legislation were circulating on social media, creating unnecessary fear among the public.
The bill was presented to Parliament for its first reading, with the government seeking to introduce new legal provisions to investigate, prosecute and prevent crimes committed by organized criminal groups.
Nanayakkara said some individuals were falsely claiming that people could be imprisoned for having tattoos or adopting certain hairstyles.
“Wearing clothes of your choice, getting a tattoo or having a hairstyle you prefer are fundamental rights,” the minister said.
Explaining Section 4(2) of the proposed legislation, Nanayakkara said it outlines 12 factors that may be considered when determining whether an individual belongs to an organized criminal group.
One factor refers to clothing styles, hand signals, language or tattoos commonly used by known members of organized criminal organizations.
However, he stressed that these were not independent criminal offenses and that the provision concerned suspected membership in organized criminal groups rather than the appearance of ordinary individuals.
The minister described the provision as a “rebuttable presumption,” explaining that it does not constitute conclusive evidence of criminal involvement.
He said similar indicators are used internationally by investigators to identify gang membership, citing practices in countries including Japan, the United States, Australia and Singapore.
Nanayakkara also said the proposed legislation was intended to strengthen law enforcement against organized crime, drug trafficking, murders, abductions and other serious offenses.
He maintained that existing legislation was insufficient to effectively investigate and prosecute certain activities linked to organized criminal networks.
He welcomed criticism of the bill and said the government was prepared to consider suggestions during parliamentary discussions.
Nanayakkara also encouraged those who believed the legislation violated constitutional rights to challenge it before the Supreme Court.
He accused certain political groups and social media commentators of deliberately misrepresenting the proposed law for political purposes.
The minister reiterated that individuals would not face criminal charges merely for having tattoos, growing their hair or wearing particular clothing.
The bill remains at the first-reading stage in Parliament.
Meanwhile, legal experts have raised separate concerns about provisions relating to police-recorded confessions and restrictions on bail under the proposed legislation. (Newswire)
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