It provides the police with broad powers to search, arrest, and detain suspects.
It was first enacted as a temporary law in 1979 under J. R. Jayewardene presidency, then made permanent in 1982.
Unlawful activity includes even pasting posters on walls, and is punishable with death.
For example, if a person knows the whereabouts of terrorist (“terrorist” not defined in the Act) and if such person fails to inform the police, he commits an offence punishable with a minimum 5-year jail term.
His arrest received attention from international human rights organizations[6] and was ruled to be in violation of international law by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.