Release all political prisoners: Bahu

Apr 02, 2016

NSSP Leader Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne called on the government to release all political prisoners without becoming a laughing stock before the world.

The government should take a political decision to release all political prisoners, he said. Addressing the media at his office in Colombo yesterday, Dr. Karunaratne said if political prisoners die, the entire world will blame the government.

Kumar Gunaratnam is imprisoned for allegedly violating immigration and emigration laws but he is a political prisoner as he has being imprisoned for political reasons, he said.

Dr. Karunaratne said the governments in 1971, 1988, 1989 etc. took political decisions and released political prisoners.

"Now when the Attorney General prepares a way to release them some magistrates start to shout. The issue of political prisoners has become something that has no start or end," he said.

Dr. Karunaratne pointed out that during former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's time, a Hindu priest was imprisoned and he underwent numerous hardships.

All religious leaders should be informed before Bhikkus or priests etc. are taken into custody, he said.