January 22, 2010

Release Detainees without Charges!

Siritunga visited fasting political prisoners in Jaffna General Hospital

Reported by: Perumal Ramakrishnan, USP member

Recently when Siritunga Jayasuriya was on a campaign tour for the Presidential elections in the north of Sri Lanka, he took time off to visit the Jaffna General Hospital to see the political prisoners who were on protest fast. There are more than 200 detainees held in prisons for more than 4 years without any charges being framed. Authorities are giving the excuse of ongoing investigations for the delay, some of these detainees are held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Fasting detainees are demanding that, the Government must quicken the process and bring them to trail if at all they are charged or else should be released forthwith. Siritunga witnessed the pathetic condition of these detainees, some of them very ill and needed immediate medical attention and care.

Siritunga declared to the prisoners that the United Socialist Party along with other like minded parties and organizations would organize a campaign for the release of these detainees held without charges.

Public Protest for the Release of Detainees kept without charges

On the 22nd of January 2010 a public protest has been organized in front of Colombo Welikada Prisons to highlight the demand for the release of suspected LTTE detainees held without any charges.

USP team on Jaffna Visit