Prisons Department writes to Ministry

20 May 2011 02:13 pm Views - 3999

The Prisons Department has prepared and a sent a report regarding prisoners on death row at the Welikada prison to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms.

The Department said that several such prisoners have been engaged in a protest since Wednesday, demanding that their sentences be amended in line with the 2600th Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthiya.

Prisoners who are currently engaged in a hunger strike are those who have been sentenced to life in prison and who are on death row. 

However according to prison officials these prisoners have been sentenced by court and the power to free them is with the President but not with the Prisons Commissioner General.

The prisoners are still engaged in their protest. At least 224 remand prisoners sentenced to death at the Welikada prison launched a hunger strike on Thursday morning, urging authorities to release them under a common pardon or to carry out their death sentence.