Tamil political prisoners in Welikada begin fasting demanding their release

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 July 2009, 06:53 GMT]
A group of Tamil political prisoners currently being detained in Welikada prison for many years without any inquiry and not being produced in court began fast unto death campaign Wednesday demanding their release or to indict them in court. The campaign is being conducted in the Welikada prison complex. However Sri Lankan prison authorities denied that no such fasting is held inside the prison complex.

More than two hundred Tamils arrested on suspicion that they were involved in LTTE activities in the past are detained in several prisons. They are under detention for several years without facing any inquiry or cases in courts.

The prisoners demand that they should be released immediately or to file indictments against them in law courts. They have already made appeals to higher authorities through human rights organizations and activists in this regard.

As their pleas went unheard, a section of them began fast unto death campaign inside the Welikada prison complex Wednesday.