TNA welcomes Govt. decision to release 23 prisoners detained under PTA 

The Tamil National Alliance has hailed an announcement by the Government that another 23 prisoners being held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will be released through a process of rehabilitation. 

Issuing a media release yesterday, the TNA said the announcement was based on assurances given to Opposition Leader and TNA Chief R. Sampanthan and TNA Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran at a meeting held last month. 

The TNA statement said it had met with Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake, the Attorney General and other high officials of the Government on 26 August at Temple Trees to discuss the issue of political prisoners. 

“We urge the Government to continue this process of re-evaluation and release the rest of the political prisoners also without delay,” the TNA statement said. (DB)