Activists fighting for the release of political prisoners now on a hunger strike, have decided to complain to the United Nations this week. Convenor of the National Movement for Release of Political Prisoners (NMRPP), Rev. M. Saththivel told the Sunday Observer that the organisation will lodge a complaint with the UN, if the government fails to take a decision regarding the release of the prisoners.
The NMRPP organised a massive protest in front of the main bus stand in Anuradhapura on Friday, October 5, with the support of civil organisations, demanding the release of 107 political prisoners detained in 13 prisons islandwide.“It is 23 days since the hunger strike was launched by 12 political inmates at the Anuradhapura prison.
They have refused hospitalisation and medical treatment,” he said, adding that the inmates have been kept under detention for years while their cases have been continuously delayed. Nevertheless, addressing the media in Kandy recently, Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms, Thalatha Athukorala said that cases against those who were arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act had already been filed and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had discussed the matter with Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan and taken action. on it.