AJITH SIRIWARDANA 
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UN calls for regulation of presidential pardon for prisoners
The exercise of Presidential Pardon for convicted prisoners should be regulated by clear guidelines to avoid arbitrary application and to ensure proper means for the release on compassionate grounds, the three-member UN Working Group has said in a report.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has also identified significant challenges to the enjoyment of the right to personal liberty in Sri Lanka, resulting in arbitrary detention across the country.
The report, which was released on December 15, said that serious consideration should be given to abolishing the death penalty in Sri Lanka.
The Working Group said it observed ‘overcrowded’ prisons and noted that remanded and convicted persons were held under the same facilities.
“Long-term prisoners and persons serving life sentences are held in harsh conditions with limited time for family visits, lack of opportunities to work and participate in other vocational, educational or recreational activities and limited out-of-cell time.
“The authorities must ensure that the prison system is aimed at the rehabilitation and re-integration of inmates,” they said.
The three-member delegation comprised of José Antonio Guevara Bermúdez, Leigh Toomey and Elina Steinerte.
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