244 prisoners to be pardoned for Vesak

COLOMBO (News 1st); 244 prison inmates will be granted State pardon in view of the Vesak poya day, states the Prisons Spokesperson and the Commissioner General of Prisons, Chandana Ekanayake.

The special pardon will be granted by the President in accordance with the powers vested in him by Article 34 of the Constitution, as follows; 

1. General amnesty of 14 days each year which prisoners have been spent in prisons, up till 15th May

2. Abolition of the outstanding balance of the sentence being paid by the prisoners who were imprisoned for non-payment of fines.

3. Abolition of the remainder of the sentence of prisoners who have served more than half of the sentence, and halving the sentence of prisoners over 65 years of age from among the prisoners incarcerated.

4. Abolition of the remainder of the sentence of prisoners who have been sentenced to 40 years or more and have completed 20 years from the date of sentencing by the High Court.