After the state of Emergency lapsed in July, President Chandrika introduced regulations providing that all detentions made under Emergency regulations shall be deemed to have been made under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Legal experts say that this action is illegal and violates the constitutional rights of the detainees.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern in August over restrictions placed on civil and political rights in Sri Lanka under the PTA and Emergency Regulations (ER) and their allegedly discriminatory application with regard to Tamils. The Committee reminded Sri Lanka of the obligations to conduct exhaustive and impartial investigations into allegations of human rights violations involving racial discrimination and bring to justice those responsible. The Committee also expressed concern that a large number of Tamils of Indian origin and their descendants, particularly plantation workers, still had not been granted citizenship, many of them continuing to be stateless. The Committee noted that Tamils without Sri Lankan citizenship, were allegedly discriminated against and did not fully enjoy their economic, social and cultural rights.