The hunger strike of over 200 Tamil political detainees ended on Saturday after the Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena pledged to the TNA leader R Sampanthan to establish a mechanism to process and release prisoners who had committed "minor offences".
Speaking to BBC Sandeshya on Friday, Mr Sampanthan said the Sri Lankan president had called and made the pledge after meeting with Sri Lanka’s justice minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.
The minister had earlier said “there are no political prisoners in the country’s prisons”.
There are unconfirmed reports that some prisoners detained in Anuradhapura are yet to end their hunger strike.
Related articles:
Day 5 of hunger strikes in Jaffna calling for the release of Tamil political detainees (16 Oct 2015)
Protestors in Vavuniya join calls for release of Tamil political prisoners (16 Oct 2015)
Jaffna Uni students join calls for release of Tamil political detainees (16 Oct 2015)
Protestors in Jaffna call for the release of political prisoners (15 Oct 2015)
Tamil Civil Society Forum extends support to hunger-striking Tamil Political prisoners (15 Oct 2015)
Sri Lankan president will decide on political prisoners after report is compiled and submitted(15 Oct 2015)
‘There are no political prisoners’ says Sri Lanka’s justice minister (15 Oct 2015)
TNA MP pledges to join hunger strike if Sri Lankan government does not release Tamil political prisoners (15 Oct 2015)
Fast in support of Tamil political prisoners as hunger strike enters second day (14 Oct 2015)
Wigneswaran urges president to ensure fasting Tamil detainees are not harmed (12 October 2015)
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
