NPC adopts motion on Tamil detainees
The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) today adopted a motion calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners who have been in jail for several years without a proper trial.
The motion was submitted by the chairman of the council C.V.K Sivagnanam and was adopted unanimously.
The motion was submitted by the chairman of the council C.V.K Sivagnanam and was adopted unanimously.
In the motion, the NPC called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Justice Minister to release the detainees.
It noted that several Tamil political prisoners have been in jail for between 8-15 years without their case being taken up for hearing.
Most prisoners were arrested on suspicion over LTTE links but have not been charged even five years after the war ended, the motion noted.
The motion also recalls that Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran had sought the release of the detainees at one of his meetings with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and despite an assurance given at the time the President is yet to release them. (Colombo Gazette)
