PTA prisoners continue hunger strike

By Gandhya Senanayake

A group of prisoners arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) are continuing a peaceful hunger strike, demanding a general amnesty, Prisons commissioner, Major General V. R. Silva told Daily Mirror online. He added that so far legal action has not been taken against 196 prisoners and 364 of those remanded have been sent for rehabilitation.

He added that the legal process for these inmates has been stepped up but it was a lengthy process. The Attorney Generals department had to consider individual cases and decide whether to take legal action or not and this took time. Furthermore two teams have also been appointed, one by the Attorney Generals department and another by the IGP to look into this matter and speed up the process.