Prisoners pardoned for Christmas

President Ranil Wickremesinghe granted a special pardon to 1,004 prison inmates yesterday in view of Christmas, Commissioner of Prisons and Media Spokesman for the Department of Prisons, Gamini B. Dissanayake said.

He said the total number of inmates pardoned comprised 989 males and 15 females.

Among those pardoned are those arrested for non-payment of fines; inmates above the age of 65 who have served more than half their sentence, those sentenced for 40 years and have served 20 or more years, and inmates at rehabilitation centres who have completed half or more of their rehab period, he said.