Sri Lanka thanks Maldives for decision to hand over prisoners

The Ministry of External Affairs of Sri Lanka has said that the Sri Lankan government was ‘most appreciative’ of the decision by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, to hand over all Sri Lankan prisoners currently held in the Maldives to the Sri Lankan government.

In a statement issued today, the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry said that this gesture was in response to a request made on a humanitarian basis by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a recent conversation with the President Yameen.

The statement reads, “Fifteen Sri Lankan prisoners are currently serving sentences in Maldives. They had appealed to President Rajapaksa for their transfer to Sri Lanka in order to be close to their families.

“The Sri Lanka High Commission in Male, in coordination with the relevant authorities in Colombo, will be making the necessary arrangements for these inmates to be transferred to Sri Lanka in the very near future. They will serve their sentences in Sri Lanka.

“President Rajapaksa and the Government of Sri Lanka are most appreciative of this timely goodwill gesture by President Yameen and the Government of Maldives.”