The New York-based global rights organization, Human Rights Watch (HRW) on January 10 called on the Sri Lankan Government to repeal the draconian Counterterrorism Law, reports Colombo Page. The Sri Lankan Government should abide by its commitments to replace the abusive Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with legislation that respects its international human rights obligations, the HRW said. The cabinet of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced on January 4 that it would withdraw a proposed replacement law, reneging on pledges to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the European Union.