GL Peiris Urges Release of Ven. Gnanasara Thera While Admitting 2019 Presidential Pardon Was Administratively Flawed

Senior politician and Convener of the Janathawadi Joint Opposition, Prof. G.L. Peiris, has called for the release of Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, even as he acknowledged that an administrative error was made by the President's Office when the monk was granted a presidential pardon in 2019 under then-President Maithripala Sirisena.

Prof. Peiris made these remarks on Monday (19) following his appearance before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which had summoned him in connection with the controversial pardon issued to the prominent Buddhist monk.

Administrative Lapse Conceded

Speaking to media after his appearance before the commission, Prof. Peiris openly conceded that the manner in which the presidential pardon was processed and granted in 2019 reflected a procedural shortcoming within the President's Office at the time. However, he maintained that this acknowledgement should not stand in the way of Ven. Gnanasara Thera's release.

Prof. Peiris urged the relevant authorities to consider freeing the monk, signalling that the Janathawadi Joint Opposition remains firmly behind efforts to secure his release despite the legal and administrative questions surrounding the earlier pardon.

Background to the Controversy

Ven. Gnanasara Thera, a highly controversial yet influential Buddhist monk and the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), had been serving a prison sentence before President Sirisena granted him a pardon in 2019. That decision drew significant criticism from civil society groups and legal experts, who questioned both the timing and the process through which the pardon was extended.

The pardon has since come under scrutiny by CIABOC, prompting the commission to call in key figures associated with the decision for questioning. Prof. Peiris's appearance before the body marks one of the more high-profile summons issued in connection with the matter.

Political Implications

Prof. Peiris, a veteran politician with a long career spanning multiple administrations, carries considerable weight within opposition circles. His public admission of an administrative lapse is notable, as it represents one of the clearest acknowledgements by a senior political figure that the 2019 pardon process was not handled correctly.

Nevertheless, his appeal for the monk's release suggests that political and religious considerations continue to intersect in ways that complicate straightforward legal assessments of the case.

The CIABOC investigation is expected to continue, with further developments anticipated as the commission pursues its inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the presidential pardon.

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