Colombo, prison emergency: 100 % over capcity

The island's 30 prisons can accommodate just over 13 thousand inmates, but as of today there are around 30 thousand. About half of these are in prison on remand, more than 20 thousand for drug trafficking. Among the proposals is the release of those who are under arrest for minor offenses.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - Overcrowding in prisons, largely due to pre-trial detention and drug crimes, is becoming a real national emergency, so much so that the government and the authorities are searching - so far in vain - for a solution. To date there are at least 30 thousand prisoners, suspects and those in preventive detention in the 30 prison institutions scattered across the island, against a maximum capacity of 13,241 places.

Prison authorities, the Attorney General's Department and the police are in discussions to try to resolve the crisis quickly, but for industry experts and activists it is a difficult task. At the moment, prison overcrowding is largely due to drug trafficking inmates, around 20 thousand out of the entire prison population. And of the total, over 50% are behind bars in pre-trial detention awaiting trial.

According to the deputy commissioner of prisons Chandana Ekanayake "a serious rethink is needed" of prison policies. In the meantime, the authorities have given instructions for the construction of structures "in Negombo and Wariyapola to house drug addicts and other prisoners for minor crimes".

Lawyer Nilantha Dissanayaka explains to AsiaNews that "the authorities turn a blind eye to any incident involving prisoners, given that public opinion feels little empathy towards those behind bars".

All this although the majority of them "are under investigation and could be free at the end of the court hearings". To date, he continues, "there is almost no difference between a suspect" and a definitively convicted person even "in the eyes of public opinion" which considers a suspect "already guilty" even before the sentence.

“Changing public opinion's prejudices towards prisoners is a difficult task, but the government and the competent authorities cannot remain indifferent and neglect the well-being and safety of prisoners” continues the lawyer, already “seriously compromised in the past” .

He recalls what happened in 1983 to the Tamil prisoners in Welikada prison, victims of a massacre, or the murders that occurred in 2012 in the same prison. “These incidents,” he concludes, “demonstrate that prisoners are not safe even when they are entrusted to the prison authorities.”

According to former prisons commissioner Samantha Algama "the government must immediately address the problem of prison overcrowding, because it can lead to unrest" as can be seen "from past experiences".

“Although the topic has often been discussed by both the authorities and citizens, to date - he continues - little progress has been made to find a solution” also because the latest studies show that capacity has even exceeded 100%.

Although the prisons were built to house a total of 13,241 inmates, they currently house around 30 thousand, including 19 thousand in pre-trial detention and 10 thousand with final sentences.

The conditions are "frightening", adds Algama, "especially with regards to health and hygiene aspects". “Currently our prisons are hell” because instead of rehabilitating prisoners for minor crimes they push them towards “a life of crime. How can we exercise control over prisoners - you warn - if our prisons explode like this? Remedies should be found to relieve congestion."

Meanwhile, senior officials in the Department of Prisons are proposing the release of prisoners for minor crimes, including those in cells because they are unable to pay their fines. In the past there was a proposal to this effect, which was not implemented. And even when pardons are granted on Independence Day, those who leave are immediately replaced by others "and the number of prisoners does not decrease".

(Photo taken from Sri Lanka Prison Department)