President will not sign death warrants on offenders sentenced to death - AG tells SC

• In view of the undertaking given to the court that the President will  not sign the warrants for execution, it has addressed the immediate  concerns of the petitioners

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Attorney General yesterday informed the Supreme Court that  President Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided not to sign any execution warrant issued on the offenders sentenced to death after conviction by a court and said the President will act according to the procedure adopted by his predecessors.   

Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appearing for the Attorney General made these remarks when several Fundamental Rights petitions filed challenging former President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to clear the execution of four prisoners convicted for drug offences were taken up before the Supreme Court.  

President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena appearing for the petitioners in one application informed that in view of the undertaking given to the court that the President will not sign the warrants for execution, it has addressed the immediate concerns of the petitioners. However he said the petitioners are unable to withdraw these Fundamental Rights petitions due to the imminent threat of any execution being carried out in the future.  

In view of the submissions made by parties, Supreme Court five-judge-bench comprising Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Murdu Fernando, S. Thurairaja, Gamini Amarasekara and Priyantha Fernando decided to terminate the proceedings into the petitions, reserving rights of the petitioners move to revise the applications.  

Several Fundamental Rights petitions had been filed challenging former President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to clear the execution of four prisoners convicted for drug offences.  
These petitions had been filed by several petitioners including Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu and Attorney-at-Law Kavindu Hewa Geeganage naming Attorney General, Justice Minister, Commissioner General of Prisons, Welikada Prison Superintendent and several others as respondents.  

President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena, Saliya Pieris PC, M.A.Sumanthiran PC and Senior Counsel Suren Fernando appeared for the petitioners. Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appeared for the Attorney General.