Following the advice of the Attorney General’s Department, the Prisons Department on Monday released 20 suspects who had been detained at Welikada Prison under the PTA and Emergency Regulations, Justice Ministry sources said.

Following consultations, the Minister of Justice and Judicial Reforms Milinda Moragoda had with Attorney General Mohan Peiris PC, it was decided to dispose cases of those held under the Emergency Regulations and the PTA, quickly, the sources said adding that those suspects against whom there was insufficient evidence to indict, will be released without holding them in detention without trial. This will be an ongoing process.

The Commissioner General of Prisons, Maj, Gen. V. R. de Silva (Rtd.) said there were 631 persons who were detained under the PTA and the Emergency Regulations in the custody of the Prisons Department.

When their cases were referred to the Attorney General Department they had asked the Prison authorities whether there was sufficient evidence to indict them and instructed them to release those prisoners against whom there was insufficient evidence.

In October 26 persons taken into custody during the Humanitarian Operations conducted by the Security Forces in the Eastern Province were released. They were mostly from the Trincomalee District.

That too was done on the advise of the Attorney General’s Department, the Prisons Commissioner General said.

In several instances those persons held under the PTA and Emergency Regulations for long periods in Prison without trial had staged death fasts and climbed on to roofs to attract attention to their cause.