No force used to make Gnanasara Thera wear prison garb – Prisons
The Department of Prisons yesterday denied allegations by former Minister Udaya Gammanpila that Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera had been forced to wear a prison uniform at Welikada Prison. Gammanpila, speaking at a press conference in Colombo on October 12, alleged that the monk had been compelled to wear prison attire despite objections from both […]
Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya, President of the Court of Appeal, withdrew from the hearing of petitions related to the decision made by prison authorities concerning Gnanasara Thera's attire. This came after the petitions were brought before the court on October 14. Following his recusal, a bench of three judges was established to review the cases.
The disputes involve the prison service's mandate for Gnanasara Thera to wear prison clothing after being arrested to complete his sentence for contempt of court. In September, the Supreme Court overturned the presidential pardon granted to him by former President Maithripala Sirisena in May 2019. Consequently, the Court of Appeal mandated the Commissioner General of Prisons to proceed with implementing the remaining portion of Gnanasara Thera's prison term.
Initially, Gnanasara Thera received a six-year prison sentence for contempt of court but had already served approximately nine months before his pardon in 2019.
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