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Vesak reprieve for 70 on death row, 608 others freed
View(s):The sentences of 70 inmates who were on death row were commuted to life imprisonment by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday on a recommendation made by a special committee appointed by the Ministry of Justice.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Prisons Department Spokesman Thushara Upuldeniya however, said there was no possibility of these offenders being released and that the decision had been taken based on the recommendation of the committee appointed to explore the possibility of granting life sentences for inmates who had been sentenced to death. This Justice Ministry Committee had been appointed in 2014.
608 prison inmates were released yesterday as part of a Presidential amnesty in view of Vesak Poya. The releases took place at prisons located throughout the island. Mr. Upuldeniya stated all the inmates who had been released had been serving time for minor offences.
However, several inmates who were 70 years of age or over and who had served 10 years in prison were also among those who were released. The prisons spokesman stressed, however, that the individuals had not been serving time for serious offences such as murder and rape.