Political prisoners

 On 14th September, eight Tamil detainees in the Anuradhapura prison, detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) since around 2009 commenced a fast. Their cases are yet to be concluded, with a major reason for delays being the non-attendance of officials from the Attorney General’s department who are prosecuting the cases. One of the […]

Public protests have been continuing in the North against a decision by the Attorney General’s department to transfer three Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) cases from Vavuniya High Court to Anuradhapura. Students at the University of Jaffna have launched a university-wide boycott of classes until further notice as student leaders are scheduled to discuss future course […]

Image: Sampanthan meets  Pablo DE GREIFF  in Colombo. ( TNA photo) A meeting was held today between the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence Mr. Pablo DE GREIFF and the Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance Hon. Sampanthan in Colombo. Mr. Sampanthan highlighted the […]

Image: The black flag protest was held on 14th Oct calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners. ( Tamil Diplomat) (PMD 19 Oct)A group of people, including a member of Northern Provincial Council K. Sivajilingam who recently protested in Jaffna hoisting black flags, met with President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday (19th […]

In a way of adjournment motion which will be presented tomorrow in Parliament, TNA leader R. Sampanthan  has responded to the state minister of defense Ruwan  Wijewardena, who has reiterated their position  that there are political prisoners in Sri Lanka at present and Tamil detainees  held under the PTA will not be released.  In his adjournment motion […]

Image: Campaign for the release of political prisoners are gathering momentum. ©s .deshapriya. Defence State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene has reiterated that the remanded LTTE suspects, who had allegedly committed serious crimes,will not be freed without a judicial process despite the hartal campaigns in the North, according to state controlled Daily News. Wijewardene, a close relative of […]

Sending a strongly worded letter  President Sirisena the leader of the TNA and paliamentry opposition R. Sampanthan says that ” issues of political prisoners cases cannot be considered as coming purely under the purview of the Attorney General’s Department. With due respect to the Hon. Attorney General as the Chief Legal Adviser of the state, these […]

By North East Coordinating Committee. Sri Lanka moved from a post war suppressive political period to a new political transit period under a new government which came to power on 9th January 2015. The change has opened a space for the communities and civil societies in North and East areas to come out and openly express […]

( Fr. Sathiveil, leading the campaign for the release of political prisoners, Aug 2016 Colombo ©s.deshapriya) The Tamil National Alliance welcomes the announcement by the government that a further twenty-three political prisoners will be released through the process of rehabilitation. This is in keeping with the promise given to Leader of the Opposition Mr. R. […]

( Activists protest in Colombo, Aug 2016; ©s.deshapriya) The Government has decided to offer rehabilitation to some suspects arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The Ministry of Resettlement and Rehabilitation said that the rehabilitation offer is being made to 23 of 96 suspects arrested over alleged links to the LTTE. The Minister of […]

( National Movement for the Release of Political Prisoners continues to campaign for the release of political prisoners ©s.deshapriya) A memorandum showing how the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) violates the rights of political prisoners. During the last 30 years due to the war that prevailed in the northern and eastern areas of Sri Lanka […]

“Government has consistently undertaken to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act in view of the several obnoxious provisions contained in the said Act. Several Tamil persons are held in custody under the provisions of the said Prevention of Terrorism Act for various offences arising out of the armed conflict. It is seven years since the […]

( File photo: Repeal PTA; release political prisoners) Tamil political prisoners have decided to go ahead with a protest fast today despite a meeting held with the Tamil National Alliance yesterday. Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan met the prisoners at the Anuradhapura prison day before yesterday. The inmates had handed over a letter to […]

( Dr Nimalka Fernando  who heads IMDAR ©sunanda deshapriya) In a oral statement made after the High Commissioner Zeid’s report on progress made by Sri Lanka in implementing the Unhrc resolution 30/1 IMDAR headed by Dr nimalka Fernando said that ” The slow progress in returning of lands, failure to facilitate security sector reform including […]

Centre for Human Rights and Research (CHR) Sri Lanka has unveiled its comprehensive report on the Prevention of Terrorism act (PTA) ‘What is happening with the detainees now? The forgotten political prisoners under the Yahapalanaya. In the report CHR puts the PTA in context of Sri Lankan history, analyzes the draconian anature of the law, […]

( Image: A Tamil woman worshiping- AP Photo -Eranga Jayawardena) “Seven years have elapsed since the end of the armed conflict in the country. Several hundred thousands of Tamils and others were displaced from their original places of residence in the North and the East during the period of the said armed conflict. Unambiguous assurances […]

“I ask you to clearly outline the steps that the US government will take to support reform [ in Sri Lanka], including efforts to implement recommendations from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and ensure that development and security assistance are in line with reform efforts”says Edward Royce, chairman of the US House […]

(Students at the University of Jaffna on 10th  launched a one day hunger strike to protest the imprisonment of Tamil political prisoners) Tamil political prisoners, who were on a hunger strike in Sri Lanka in protest against their prolonged incarceration, ended their protest after they were assured of speedy trials. The 13 former LTTE cadres […]

( R.Sampanthan) ( Excerpts of the speech by the leader of the opposition during the parliamentary discussion on  PLAN OF ACTION REGARDING VICTIMS OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES AND PERSONS held in custody FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME  on 08th March 2016, See full speech at the end.) I thank you, Mr. Deputy Chairman of Committees, […]

( Protest in Jaffna; Image Tamil Guardian) T. Ramakrishnan. The TNA leader also urged the government not to let itself dictated by “slogans” from certain “parochial” sections. Sri Lanka’s leader of Opposition R. Sampanthan on Tuesday slammed the government over continuing detention of people booked under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) even after it […]

Families of Tamil political prisoners detained by the Sri Lankan security services held a hunger strike on Monday by the Muniyappar temple in Jaffna, calling for their immediate release. Families of those who are missing also joined the protest. The protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations by families in the North-East calling […]

( Activists call for the release  of Tamil Political prisoners) The release of Tamil prisoners in detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) hit a snag as the prisoners refused to accept the flexible terms of parole the government has offered, Resettlement, Reconstruction and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D.M. Swaminathan told the Sunday Observer. […]

( In Jaffna ) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein yesterday said advocating for a common amnesty for political prisoners would lead to new complications. The High Commissioner explained that it would not be possible to advocate for a general amnesty for political prisoners currently being held by authorities, as experience […]

The singing of the national anthem in Tamil that marked the end of the Independence Day celebration was a strong gesture of reconciliation by the government. It was one of the most significant actions taken to lessen the sense of alienation of the Tamil speaking people and make them feel a sense of equal belonging […]

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that his British counterpart David Cameron visited Sri Lanka during a “dark period” and that the government is inviting him to return now that the sun is shining on the country. “British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Sri Lanka during a dark period. We are now publicly inviting him to […]

I want to raise the question of the persons in custody – detainees. I was extremely happy to listen to the Statement of the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was a very progressive and a very positive Statement. Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, we expect that you will be in a position to fulfill the various […]

( Subramaniam Nidikesan; Image – Radio Gagana) A Tamil political detainee, held in a rehabilitation camp under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, was robbed by police while he on day release to visit his sick daughter at their home in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna, Sri Lanka Mirror reported. Subramaniam Nidikesan made a complaint to the Jaffna Human […]

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has called for the immediate release of those held in detention or remand for a long period of time without charges and against whom there is no credible evidence under PTA. The Commission has further called upon the Attorney General to review the cases of those indicted and to […]

( Students at the University of Jaffna demonstrate following the suicide of a Tamil school student, over the ongoing Tamil political prisoners crisis. Protesters held placards and chanted slogans calling on the Sri Lankan government to account for the death.– Tamil Gaurdian) TNA press release. We are deeply shocked and saddened by the suicide of […]

The hunger strike launched by the Tamil political prisoners has been temporarily called off until 15th December 2015. The prisoners have come to this decision following a discussion with Minister D.M Swaminathan, Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian M.A Sumanthiran, and Commissioner General of Prisons on the decisions taken at the meeting of high level government officials […]