Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said he would take a decision on Tamil political prisoners detained in jails across the island, after a report was compiled and submitted to him on the issue.
The government response comes as over 200 Tamil inmates started a hunger strike across the island, now entering its fourth day. Protests in support of the prisoners and calling for their immediate release, have also been held in the North-East.
ColomboPage reports the president asked Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Law and Order Minister Thilak Marapana and government minister Mano Ganesan to meet with the Attorney General and discuss the issue before submitting a report to the president’s office.
Once the report has been submitted, the president would examine it and come to a decision, said Mr Ganesan.
Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapakshe visited the prisoners on hunger strike on Thursday morning and “assured speedier action,” reports The Hindu.
However, yesterday the minister told reporters that “there are no political prisoners in Sri Lanka”.
See our earlier posts:
‘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)
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