Mentally ill person incarcerated for 8 years in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 March 2011, 23:24 GMT]
50-year-old V. Jeyarajah, a mentally ill person in Jaffna Prison from 2003 onwards, arrested by Sri Lankan Police on alleged suspicion of loitering about without stated purpose was released by the Chavakachcheari Magistrates Courts Monday 29 March. Legal sources in Jaffna stated that there are a large number of Tamil youths detained in prisons mainly in the South for almost four decades even in violation of the draconian Emergency Regulations and Prevention of Terrorism Acts which gives them enormous powers over and above the normal laws.

Freshly appointed officials of the Jaffna prison had come across the prisoner who had been detained without any charges for a long time and brought the matter to the notice of the Chavakachcheari Magistrate, who ordered medical examination to be carried out on the ‘suspect’. The Medical report verified that he was suffering from prolonged mental illness.

Over the years neither charges have been preferred against the suspect in Courts by the Attorney General nor was he released from the prison.

Magistrate has further ordered that he be looked after carefully and medical treatment be given to the victim.