A signature campaign demanding the release of political prisoners who are being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was launched in Vavuniya today by the Poralihal Welfare Association.
The PTA has been used by successive Sri Lankan governments to detain predominantly Tamils and Muslims for prolonged periods to time and without charge. The PTA denies fundamental due process rights and removes safeguards that would help protect detainees from abuse whilst in detention.
The participants of this campaign includes religious leaders, political leaders, representatives from Office on Missing Persons (OMP) and local Tamil residents. The Poralihal Welfare Association plans to extend the signature campaign across the North-East and will submit it to Sri Lanka's president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to urge him to the release prisoners detained under the PTA.
During his presidential campaign, Dissanayake pledged to repeal the PTA but shortly after coming into power, the National People's Power (NPP) said it would retain the draconian legislation.
