The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) chief R. Sampanthan on Friday said President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to release “political prisoners,” barring those facing “serious charges,” even as the prisoners’ fast entered the fifth day.
The release would commence from this month’s last week and end by the first week of November, the TNA leader said.
He was giving an account of the day’s developments after discussing the issue with Justice Minister Wijyadasa Rajapaksa in the morning along with his colleague M. A. Sumanthiran.
He then spoke to Mr. Sirisena, who was in Polonnaruwa to attend an official meeting, and sought his intervention.
He classified the prisoners into three groups – one under detention without charges being filed, another facing trial after being charged and the third undergoing sentence subsequent to conviction.
Mr. Sampanthan, who practised law before joining politics, said that according to his information, those having “serious charges” would be about 15 to 20.
All others could be set free and the President could grant them pardon or amnesty. This included those who had been convicted.
In view of the assurance, the TNA chief wanted the agitating prisoners to end their fast. However, the prisoners were reported to be insisting on the assurance to be conveyed to them directly from the President.
