The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) extended its support to the hunger strike protest undertaken by Tamil political prisoners demanding their immediate release.
Outlining its intention to participate in protests in support of the political prisoners, the TCSF said,
“We also support and will take part in the token strike and protests being planned to be staged by their relatives all across the North-East in the forthcoming days.”
Calling for the removal of the PTA and granting of bail for all those detained indefinitely, the civil society organisation added,
“TCSF adopts the definition of political prisoners that Amnesty International uses in its work. Accordingly it is our opinion that our brethren who took up arms for the sake of the liberation of the Tamil people and those who supported it, despite being criminalized by Sri Lankan laws, did so for a political reason and hence belong to the category of political prisoners. It has been 6 years since the end of the war and it is our opinion that if the Sri Lankan Government is interested in genuine reconciliation that they should immediately release all political prisoners languishing in its prisons.”
Full statement at end of article.
See also:
Protestors in Jaffna call for the release of 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)
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