Ratnapura District MP Premalal Jayasekera, who took oaths in Parliament yesterday, thanked the judiciary for considering his writ petition and permitting him to attend Parliament as an MP.
The Opposition MPs walked out in protest during the swearing-in.
Jayasekera maintained that he is innocent but was still imprisoned over a crime he did not commit and said the CID had framed him. However, he appealed to the Justice Minister, not just on his behalf, but on behalf of all prisoners, to provide proper sanitary facilities for all prisoners. “At the entrance to prison there is a slogan on the wall which states that prisoners are also human. However, as I have experienced, prison cells are closed by around 5.00 pm and unlocked only the next morning. All prisoners in these cells have to use buckets to relieve themselves and this is very unhygienic. Hence, I appeal to the Justice Minister to look into this matter and provide proper sanitary facilities for these prisoners which is a basic human right,” he added.
He said that there are around 29,000 who are in prisons without having committed any wrong. Referring to the killing of his brother-in law Jayasekara urged the Justice Minister to re-investigate this incident as those responsible had escaped without punishment.