Program ready to rehabilitate religious extremists

The program for the rehabilitation of individuals who were arrested for engaging in religious extremism is now ready, says Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Major General Dharshana Hettiarachchi.

He stated that the rehabilitation center at Punthottam in Vavuniya is prepared for the intake of such individuals.

A gazette notification was issued recently with new regulations to rehabilitate those under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for involvement in religious extremist activities.

As per the ordinance, those who surrender or are arrested by the security forces for holding extremist religious ideologies can be rehabilitated in a center for a period of at least one year.