President orders review of laws on treatment of imprisoned monks
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has ordered the formation of a committee to review the laws and regulations on how Buddhist monks serving prison sentences are treated, including the procedures that apply when they are taken out of prison. He revealed this at a special meeting with Maha Sangha representatives held yesterday (8) at the Presidential […]
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has mandated the establishment of a committee to scrutinize the legal framework surrounding the treatment of Buddhist monks incarcerated. The decision came following concerns over the handling of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, a monk who was removed from prison to a court proceeding. The meeting, convened at the Presidential Secretariat, was attended by representatives of the Maha Sangha, including senior members from the Siyam, Amarapura, and Ramanna Nikayas, alongside the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Hiniduma Sunil Senevi and the Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara.
The committee's mandate includes proposing amendments to current laws and, if necessary, drafting new prison regulations. It is composed of members from the Attorney General's Department, the Ministries of Justice, Public Administration, and Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, as well as the Department of Prisons, including the Commissioner General of Prisons.
The committee has been given two weeks to analyze the existing legal provisions and present its recommendations. President Dissanayake emphasized that any adjustments pertaining to Buddhist monks would be made in collaboration with the Maha Sangha. The existing legal structure, governed by the Prisons Ordinance of 1877 and associated regulations, primarily addresses general prisoners and lacks specific provisions for Buddhist monks.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
