Civil society organisations gathered in Jaffna yesterday to demand the immediate release of Tamil political prisoners held under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), during a public discussion held at Chelva Hall.
The meeting was organised as part of preparations for upcoming remembrance and justice campaigns scheduled for 24 and 25 July, which will commemorate Tamil political prisoners who were brutally killed in Sri Lankan prisons.
Participants condemned the continued incarceration of prisoners detained for decades under the PTA, a law that has long been criticised by international human rights organisations for enabling arbitrary detention, torture, and systemic abuse - particularly targeting Tamils in the North-East.
Deliberations during the session also focused on a symbolic act of remembrance and resistance: the ceremonial collection of “liberation water” to be used in a tree-planting campaign across eight districts. The initiative, named “Trees of Liberation”, seeks to draw public attention to the plight of prisoners still languishing behind bars decades after the end of the armed conflict.
Organisers stated that the tree-planting effort will serve as a symbolic call for justice and a demand for the unconditional release of long-term detainees. The act of planting will not only honour those who have perished in custody but also highlight the enduring struggle of those still awaiting justice.
The campaign comes amid ongoing concerns over the continued use of the PTA by the Sri Lankan state. Despite repeated pledges of repeal, the law remains in force, and Tamil political prisoners continue to face indefinite detention without trial or due process.
Civil society groups have vowed to continue their mobilisation in the lead-up to the commemorative events later this month and reiterated their demand for meaningful accountability and the immediate repeal of the PTA.
