Mahara & Welikada death-row inmates’ hunger strikes continue

June 25, 2021 02:06 pm

Nearly 150 death-row inmates held at Mahara and Welikada prisons are currently engaged in a hunger strike.

They are demanding the authorities to commute their death sentences to life imprisonment, reports revealed.

A group of 70 inmates at Mahara Prison had launched an indefinite fast-unto-death on Thursday (June 24) and following suit, a group of inmates at Welikada Prison had also commenced a hunger strike later in the day.

Prisons Spokesman Commissioner Chandana Ekanayake stated that discussions with relevant parties are now underway to resolve the situation.

According to reports, the security at Welikada Prison has been beefed up.

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