The Supreme Court has granted leave to proceed with several petitions that challenge a presidential pardon given to a soldier convicted in the killing of eight Tamils 23 years ago.
The cases were filed in April 2020 by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, its executive director Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, families of the victims and several other parties.
A three-judges SC panel on 12 October decided to take up on 17 May 2024 the petitions which allege a violation of clause 12 (1) of the constitution by Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s pardoning of Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake.
The court gave both the respondents and the petitioners time to submit objections and counter-objections.
In April 2019, the SC upheld a High Court verdict that Ratnayake was guilty of the killings that occurred on 19 December 2000 in Mirusuvil, Jaffna.