Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam raised concerns about the treatment of Tamil political detainees in Sri Lankan prisons, after a Tamil political prisoner was assaulted in Welikada prison this week.
Rasamanickam told reporters in Batticaloa, that there was dissatisfaction with the government's handling of Tamil political prisoners, highlightin discrepancies in the categorization of prisoners, particularly those charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and emphasizing differential treatment for individuals connected to specific attacks.
"Some prisoners charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act are not included as political prisoners," he said. "Those linked to the Anuradhapura Sri Maha Bodhi attack and the Kandy Sri Dalada Maligawa attack are treated differently." In the past, detainees under the Prevention of Terrorism Act were segregated from the general prison population. However, the current situation reveals a shift, with PTA detainees now held alongside the general prison community.
The Tamil prisoner assaulted in the recent attack has been identifeid as Morris, who was detained over his reported involvement in the Colombo Central Bank bombing in 1996.
Highlighting the recent attack on Morris, Rasamanickam expressed deep concern over the safety of political prisoners and urged the international community to intensify pressure on the Sri Lankan government to address these concerns.
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