Colombo: A broad coalition of families of detainees, civil society organisations, religious leaders, trade unions and activists has called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to unconditionally release 10 long‑term Tamil political prisoners held under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), citing election promises made by the National People’s Power (NPP) government and the need for national reconciliation.
In a joint appeal addressed to the President at the Presidential Secretariat, the signatories said the continued detention of the prisoners—some for nearly three decades—represents a grave injustice and a long‑standing failure of Sri Lanka’s legal and political systems.
The statement situates the issue within Sri Lanka’s broader history of emergency rule and repression, noting that successive governments have used emergency regulations and “terror laws” to suppress dissent during the JVP uprisings of the 1970s and 1980s, the three‑decade civil war, the post‑Easter Sunday security crackdown on Muslims, and more recently, in the aftermath of the 2022 Aragalaya protest movement.
According to the appeal, 10 Tamil detainees remain incarcerated under the PTA despite having spent between 15 and nearly 30 years in prison. Two of them—Selvarajah Kirupaharan and Thambaiya Pragash—were arrested in August 2009, at the end of the civil war, and are still awaiting the conclusion of their trials.
“Their incarceration amounts to almost two decades of imprisonment without sentencing,” the statement said, adding that they have lost their entire youth and much of their adulthood while awaiting the completion of judicial proceedings.
The remaining eight detainees, although convicted, have each served more than 15 years in prison, with two having been detained for almost 30 years. The appeal alleges that several have endured torture, harassment and degrading treatment at the hands of law enforcement authorities, prison officials and fellow inmates, alongside arbitrary delays and procedural flaws in the legal process.
The families of the prisoners and supporting organisations have urged the President to authorise their unconditional release as an act of reconciliation and as fulfilment of a commitment made in the NPP election manifesto. They argue that continued detention undermines public confidence in justice reform and post‑war reconciliation efforts.
The appeal notes that such an action would not be unprecedented. It cites a general pardon issued in November 1977 by then President J.R. Jayawardene, who released JVP members convicted under the Criminal Justice Commission Act following the 1971 insurrection.
The signatories said the current administration, whose leaders have themselves experienced state repression, is well‑placed to take a similar step.
In addition to calling for the immediate release of the 10 detainees, the appeal makes several broader demands, including the expedited review of all remaining PTA cases, particularly those arising after the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. It urges the authorities either to formally charge detainees or release them unconditionally.
The coalition also calls for fair and proportionate reparations for individuals who were acquitted after spending years—sometimes more than a decade—in detention, and demands the immediate repeal of the PTA. Until repeal is enacted, the statement urges the government to impose an immediate moratorium on the law’s use.
Further, the appeal opposes the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA), calling on the government to withdraw it and commit to not introducing replacement legislation that mirrors the PTA’s provisions.
The appeal is endorsed by more than 300 individuals and organisations, including human rights groups, women’s movements, religious institutions, plantation and fisheries organisations, youth groups, academics, lawyers and major trade unions representing teachers, health workers, railway employees and garment workers.
At the time of writing, there has been no official response from the Presidential Secretariat.
Statement in Full:FINAL Eng – Public Petition – Release all long-term Tamil Political Prisoners