Govt. answerable for Prison safety of prisoners: Opposition

by Yohan Perera and Ajith siriwardana

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) stressed in Parliament yesterday that it was the duty of the government to safeguard inmates in prisons.

The Opposition yesterday also called for a proper independent investigation on the riot in Mahara prison.
JJB leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who raised the matter first in Parliament yesterday said the government was bound to safeguard the prison inmates.

“The Government is the custodian of inmates in prisons,” he said. “It is the government that is responsible for their safety. Therefore it is essential to carry out an independent investigation. We cannot rely on the investigation carried out by Secretary of the State Ministry of Prisons Reforms and Rehabilitation,” he said.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa also questioned the health measures taken to control the spread of COVID-19 among prison inmates.

“One cannot be satisfied with the steps taken to control COVID 19 spread in prisons’,” he said.
He said the riot was a result of frustration of inmates in the prison as no action has been taken to arrest the spread of COVID-19 spread in prisons.

• It is the government that is responsible for their safety. Therefore it is essential to carry out an independent investigation