Namal urges President to pardon ‘war heroes’

Wednesday, 26 July 2023 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Condones release of LTTE members and those who have been remanded for over 15 years
Says similarly war heroes in prison must also be pardoned
Asks President to grant pardons to all equally and close the chapter

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MP Namal Rajapaksa on Monday urged the President to grant pardons to accused war heroes, drawing a comparison to the recent pardon of two LTTE members involved in the Central Bank bombing that resulted in the loss of 91 lives.

The MP made these comments prior to his appearance in court on Monday for a money laundering case.

“I witnessed the President granting a presidential pardon to an LTTE member. I was imprisoned at Magazine Prison alongside those LTTE suspects,” he said.

Rajapaksa emphasised that there should be no issue with the systematic pardoning of individuals by the President, including the release of those who have been in remand prison for 15 to 20 years. Additionally, he asserted that war heroes who have been accused and found guilty should also be considered for pardoning.

The MP expressed his belief that if the President chooses to grant a Presidential pardon to these individuals, it should be done promptly to bring closure to this matter. He emphasised that however it should not be limited to members of the LTTE. He said that if there are any accusations against the war heroes the President should grant pardons to them as well, ultimately bringing an end to this chapter.

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