Sri Lanka's Prison Population Rises To 40,000

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The number of inmates in prisons across the island has risen to 40,000. 

Prisons Spokesperson and Commissioner of Prisons Operations, Anuruddha Gajanayake, said the country's prisons have the capacity to accommodate only 11,000 inmates.

He noted that of the current prison population, around 10,000 are convicted prisoners serving sentences.

The remaining 30,000 are suspects being held in remand custody, highlighting the severe overcrowding within the prison system.