Welikade Tamil prisoners continue hunger strike

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 September 2009, 01:55 GMT]
135 Tamil political prisoners out of a total of 600 Tamil political prisoners in maximum security Central Jail in Welikada, Colombo, continued their fast unto death campaign demanding the state to expedite their cases, release the prisoners who have no charges filed against them, and to allow others charged with less serious offenses to undergo rehabilitation.

On Thursday five fasting prisoners fell ill.

Other prisoners urged Prison authorities to accept their demands, but there was no positive response.

Prison authorities called prisoners to give up their fast yesterday, but as they refused, the prison official moved the striking prisoners into the same area holding Sinhala remand prisoners.

Most of the Tamil political prisoners have been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations (ER) for prolonged periods without charges being filed against them, and without due process of law.

Chronology: