Those who engage in prostitution will be arrested and produced before courts, where they cannot expect acquittal if they say they do so to earn a living, said police spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara.

He said managing or aiding a brothel, or women’s straying are offences under the brothels ordinance and the vagrants ordinance.

Bound to safeguard human rights

Meanwhile, adviser to the Centre for Sex Workers’ Rights Lakshan Dias said that in the same manner police are bound to enforce the law, they, as lawyers, are required to safeguard human rights.

He told Sri Lanka Mirror that the repressive and outdated laws, including the PTA, vagrants ordinance and the brothels ordinance should be changed.

For instance, the vagrants ordinance was introduced in the 1960s to deal with escaping estate labourers, which is being misused today, according to him.

They violate the concepts of protection of the law, equanimity and equal enforcement of the law as enshrined in clauses 12, 12.1 and 12.2 of the constitution, said the lawyer.

Police have the responsibility of seeking court’s permission to deal with clashes between constitutional and legal provisions, he said, adding people should abide by the law and the law should be reasonable always.