Sajith warns Govt. against using ICCPR to silence dissent

Thursday, 4 September 2025 05:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday urged the Government not to misuse the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) as a tool to silence political opponents.

Premadasa said the treaty is designed to protect individual rights and uphold democratic values. He referred to the “Rabat Plan of Action,” adopted under the ICCPR to provide guidance on preventing incitement to hatred without undermining free expression.

According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Rabat Plan of Action draws from expert workshops held in Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, Bangkok, and Santiago de Chile. It was formally adopted in Rabat in October 2012 with three main aims: to clarify how countries legislate and enforce laws on incitement while safeguarding free speech under Articles 19 and 20 of the ICCPR; to assess global implementation of the prohibition of incitement; and to identify practical actions at national, regional, and international levels.

The OHCHR notes that, worldwide, there are two common failings: genuine incitement cases go unpunished, while peaceful critics are sometimes prosecuted as “hate preachers.” To avoid this, the Rabat Plan sets a high threshold for restricting expression. It outlines a six-part test that considers the social and political context, the identity and influence of the speaker, the intent behind the speech, the content and form of expression, the extent of its dissemination, and the likelihood and imminence of harm.

Premadasa made these remarks during a meeting with members of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya yesterday.