Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has instructed the Maldivian authorities to handover all Sri Lankan prisoners currently held in Maldives to the Government of Sri Lanka. This gesture was in response to a request made on a humanitarian basis by President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a recent conversation with the President of Maldives.

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.