(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – Sri Lanka’s Department of Prisons on President’s instructions has taken measures to grant amnesty to over 500 prisoners from prisons across the island in view of the 70th anniversary of Independence.
Prisons Spokesman Thushara Upuldeniya said that 544 prisoners serving jail terms for minor offences were released from island wide prisons today. They were selected based on their behavior during the detention period, he said.
Accordingly, prisoners held in several prisons including Anuradhapura in the North Central Province, Kandy in the Central Hills and Colombo were released under the pardon.
According to prison officials, Sri Lanka on special occasions under presidential pardon releases prisoners jailed for minor offenses. However, inmates accused of severe crimes such as terror activities, murder, rape as well as crimes against children will not be pardoned.
