Sri Lanka’s prisons exceeding capacity by 300%

The Department of Prisons says that the number of inmates who are incarcerated for various charges has steadily increased since the beginning of 2022, in every prison of the island, according to the statistical data of the department.

Commissioner of Prisons and media spokesman, Chandana Ekanayake mentioned that the entire prison system of the country holds more than 26,000 inmates so far. Among them, 16,000 are suspects, he added.

The department has further pointed out that 74% of the inmates who were imprisoned in the year 2021 have been imprisoned for drug-related charges. The total number of inmates within the prisons is 4,600 (34%), while there are 8,700 (65%) suspects are held within the prisons, it added.

The number of prisoners and suspects who have been incarcerated on drug-related charges has exceeded 50% of the total number of inmates in the year 2022, the Prisons Spokesman added.

He has further emphasized that although the maximum number of inmates that can be held in the prisons system of the island is around 13,200, the prisons are currently holding twice the maximum capacity. 

Furthermore, it is observed that some prisons have exceeded this capacity by 300%, he claimed.