Prisons Dept. gives undertaking not to carry out executions for a week

The Commissioner General of Prisons has given an undertaking to the Appeals Court that the death penalty will not be carried out within the next 7 days.

Prisons Commissioner General T.M.J.W. Thennakoon gave this undertaking when he appeared before the court today after being served notice over a writ petition filed against the decision to implement the death penalty in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile the court decided to take up the petition, seeking a court order preventing the implementation of the death sentence, for consideration on July 02.

The petition was filed by journalist Malinda Seneviratne citing the Commissioner General of Prisons and the Superintendent of the Welikada Prison as its respondents.

In his petition, Mr. Seneviratne says the President had recently stated that he has already signed the relevant documents to impose the death penalty on 4 convicts.

However, he points out implementing the death penalty could lead to violation of human rights.

Hence, the petitioner seeks the Appeals Court to issue an interim order to the Commissioner General of Prisons and the Superintendent of Welikada Prison to prevent the implementation of the death sentence.