18 February 2024
A Myanmar court has sentenced 13 Sri Lankan fishermen and the captain of a fishing boat to prison terms, the Sri Lankan ambassador to Myanmar has revealed.
Sri Lankan Ambassador Janaka Bandra has confirmed that the 13 Sri Lankans who were on the fishing boat have been sentenced to three years in prison each. In addition, the leader of the fishing crew was sentenced to 5 years in prison. At present, the Sri Lankan fishermen are in good health and are expected to be released soon with amnesty, said the Sri Lankan ambassador to Myanmar.
Sri Lankan fishermen were detained after illegally entering Myanmar waters in 2023. Burmese authorities have detained 15 fishermen along with two fishing boats. The ambassador said that the fishermen from Kapitia and Negombo regions started their fishing trip in November with fishing boats named Raram Puta and Loram and were detained by Myanmar authorities on December 2.
