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Authorities Discuss Measures to Curb Violence and Overcrowding in Sri Lankan Prisons

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August 23, Colombo (LNW): The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has held discussions with senior government and law enforcement officials on strengthening security inside the country’s prisons following recent disturbances at several facilities, including Negombo and Mahara.

The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministries of Defence, Justice and Public Security, senior police officers and officials from the Prisons Department. The Acting Commissioner General of Prisons and several prison commissioners also participated in the discussions.

The HRCSL revisited findings from its comprehensive assessment of prisons and detention centres conducted in 2018, along with recommendations issued in 2020. The commission stressed that many of the concerns identified in those reports remain relevant to the current situation.

Particular attention was given to the protection of both inmates and prison personnel, with overcrowding emerging as one of the main challenges facing the prison system. Poor sanitation and insufficient access to water were also highlighted as issues requiring urgent attention.

Prisons authorities outlined several infrastructure projects intended to ease pressure on existing facilities. Plans are reportedly under way to establish new prisons at Bogambara and Mahamodara, while the facilities in Galle, Matara and Wariyapola are expected to be moved to locations offering more space.

Further construction work is also planned at the Kalutara and Boossa prisons as part of efforts to improve conditions and increase capacity.

Officials said the Government was also examining changes to existing legislation and considering the use of technology to support alternatives to imprisonment. Options such as community service and home detention could help reduce the number of people held in overcrowded facilities while allowing certain cases to be managed outside conventional prisons.

The discussions are expected to contribute to a broader effort to improve prison security and living conditions, while addressing the structural problems that have placed increasing pressure on Sri Lanka’s correctional system.

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