154 death row inmates cleared for Presidential Pardon remain in Prison after more than four years

By Yohan Basura

Colombo, June 25 (Daily Mirror) - A total of 154 death row inmates who were recommended for release under a presidential pardon by several expert committees appointed by the Ministry of Justice in previous governments have remained behind bars for more than four years, according to prison sources.

Officials said that out of 262 prisoners currently serving death sentences, 154 had been selected in March 2022 for release under a general amnesty. However, the process was reportedly shelved amid the political turmoil that unfolded in the country during that period.

Relatives of the inmates point out that although President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has now been in office for nearly two years since the formation of the National People’s Power (NPP) government in September 2024, the recommended prisoners continue to serve their sentences.

Initially, 184 inmates were shortlisted for the pardon. However, 30 names were removed from the final list after authorities were unable to obtain recommendations from the judges who had imposed their sentences. Prison sources said this was due to some judges having passed away, fallen seriously ill, or moved overseas.

Family members also noted that one of the eligibility requirements for the pardon was that inmates must have completed at least five years on death row by January 1, 2022. They added that prisoners who had pending appeals against their convictions or sentences were excluded from consideration, even if they had already served the required five-year period.

The review process was carried out by a committee headed by Judge Pragil Rajapaksha, which obtained reports from several state agencies, including the State Intelligence Service, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), specialist medical professionals, and the Department of Prisons. These assessments reportedly concluded that the selected inmates were suitable for reintegration into society, while the Prisons Department’s disciplinary division also issued favourable character assessments for them.

According to prison sources, many of the recommended inmates have spent more than 20 years in custody. They said successive governments since 2013 had worked toward identifying prisoners suitable for rehabilitation and release.

Relatives further claimed that during the tenure of former Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, steps were being taken to advance the release process for the 154 inmates. However, they allege that the initiative stalled following his sudden resignation from office.

Prison sources also stated that former Commissioner General of Prisons Nishan Dhanasinghe served on several committees involved in evaluating the cases of these inmates.

Responding to inquiries, Prisons Department Media Spokesman and Commissioner A.C. Gajasinha said that the pardon process was administered by the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Justice, while the Department of Prisons was responsible only for facilitating the procedure.

Although senior prison officials participated in aspects of the review process, Gajasinha stressed that the Prisons Department had no authority to influence the final outcome or decision regarding the inmates’ release.