Congestion in prisons gone up over 250%: COPA reveals

14 June 2023 01:45 pm - 4 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A Parliamentary Committee has revealed that the congestion in prisons has increased up to 259 percent, where 26,791 inmates are occupying the prisons at present whereas all the prisons in the country could accommodate only 11,762 inmates.

It was revealed at the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) which met at the Parliament Complex recently that in some prisons, the congestion has gone up to 300 to 400 percent.

Justice Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera said 26,791 inmates were occupying the prisons even though all the prisons can accommodate only 11,762 inmates.

Prisons Commissioner Thushara Upuldeniya said 17,502 inmates are remand prisoners while 9,289 are convicted prisoners.

It was also revealed that 1,309 inmates were languishing in prisons while being unable to pay fines imposed by courts.(Ajith Siriwardana)

Comments - 4

Aragalaya Wednesday, 14 June 2023 04:02 PM

With the new Bills being brought up by the present Govt. and if they are passed, the Prisons will not have even standing accommodation.

karu Wednesday, 14 June 2023 04:51 PM

put them to development work , best way to rehab. and close monitoring while they at there. then able trace big fish behind those small fishes

150 % in remand awaiting verdict? Wednesday, 14 June 2023 05:20 PM

17502 remand prisoners? When will their cases be called or decided? The slow pace of Justice Dept. has to change. Punish them or release them.

Rodney Thursday, 15 June 2023 11:00 AM

Majority prisoners are young middle age fit inviduls except for high security prisoners get all others allocate to help devolop the nation in important catogorys farming Agriculture plantation recycling system keeping the country waterways beaches roads etc clean collecting garbage sri lanka need to get all prisoners active use them to get productivity motivation deciplin and contributing to the economy not just feeding them put all of them in to work force tech them life better living standards etc...gradually the smart talent inviduls give opportunity to do we'll in future

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Congestion in prisons gone up over 250%: COPA reveals

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