The report of the committee appointed to formulate a formal methodology for granting presidential pardons to prisoners sentenced to death and life imprisonment will be submitted to the Cabinet as soon as possible, said Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara.
The Minister said this while participating in a discussion held yesterday (20) with prisoners sentenced to death and life imprisonment during an inspection of the Colombo Remand Prison, New Magazine Prison and Welikada Prisons.
He also stated that this committee to formalize the process of granting presidential pardons has been appointed under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Justice S. Thurairajah. The Minister also pointed out that the report has been prepared after a study conducted by this committee over a period of about ten months.
Minister Harshana Nanayakkara further stated that apart from regularizing the procedure for granting presidential pardons, the committee has also made recommendations on commuting the death penalty to life imprisonment for prisoners, commuting the sentence of prisoners serving life sentences to 20 years, and sending prisoners to home leave.