Sri Lanka pardons 16 Tamil Tigers

Sri Lanka's president pardoned 16 men linked to the Tamil Tiger rebels yesterday, as the country faced renewed pressure from the UN over detentions without charge under an anti-terrorism law. The men were convicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) that gives security forces sweeping powers to arrest and detain suspects.  The UN Human Rights Council and other international rights groups have called for it to be repealed.  The men had been behind bars for at least a decade. Government officials said the release was the first phase of a plan to free all 78 people held or charged under the PTA.