Over 200 Tamil prisoners on hunger strike

by admin
May 20, 2012
A total of 234 Tamil detainees are now on hunger strike at prisons across the country, which has stretched into its fifth day, with more detainees joining the protest.

The detainees, some who have been held without charge for several years, have asked to be either charged or released.

TNA MP Sumanthiran told the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency, that he was due to have a meeting with prison authorities today, regarding the detainees.

Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with countries in South Asia, Jean Lambert, also told Xinhua that the European Union was calling for the detainees to either be released or charged.

The hunger strike, which started with 80 prisoners in Welikada Prison, Colombo has now spread to Vavuniya and Kalutara.

See our earlier post: Tamil detainees across island join hunger strike (19 May 2012)

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