President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed the creation of a coordinated security framework involving multiple agencies to address safety concerns and inmate welfare across the country's 33 prisons.
A high-level meeting convened at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday focused on evaluating prison security conditions and welfare standards across Sri Lanka's correctional facilities. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake presided over discussions that examined existing safety measures and identified gaps in the current system.
During the meeting, officials deliberated on strengthening security and safety protocols to better protect inmates held in the country's 33 prisons. Participants reviewed both immediate concerns and longer-term improvements needed to enhance conditions throughout the system.
Authorities have decided to establish a joint operational mechanism set to commence operations next week. The framework will bring together prison officials, the Police, the Special Task Force (STF), and military representatives from the Tri-Forces where circumstances warrant their involvement. The mechanism will be tasked with assessing challenges faced by inmates, monitoring their welfare, and coordinating emergency responses across all facilities.
Official sources indicate that the joint mechanism will also include engagement with prison inmates themselves, suggesting a consultative approach to addressing grievances and concerns. This coordination among multiple agencies represents an effort to create a unified response system to security incidents and welfare issues in prisons nationwide.
