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.