Cross-party Tamil MPs call for release of political prisoners

Tamil lawmakers from across the different political parties have written to Sri Lanka’s president, calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners.

The parliamentarians, 15 from across the island and from various political parties, said that more than 80 political prisoners had been arrested from 1994 until 2009 and “are being confined for a long period in prisons”.

Amongst them are those who have been “detained without any judicial trial” said the letter.

The lawmakers went on to call for a discussion with Sri Lanka’s prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and justice minister Ali Sabry “to expedite the releasing of Tamil political prisoners”.

 

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