Thursday, 20th November 2014
Chaminda Perera
The five Indian fishermen sentenced to death in Sri Lanka on drug smuggling charges, were freed yesterday, after they were pardoned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
President's Media Spokesman Mohan Samaranayake told the Daily News that the President had issued a Presidential pardon for the five men on death row. With the issuing of the Presidential order, Prison authorities handed over the five men to the Immigration authorities for further action.
The five fishermen are: Emerson, P. Augustus, R. Wilson, K. Prasath and J. Langlet, all from the State of Tamil Nadu. They were arrested in Sri Lanka in 2011 and found guilty for alleged drug trafficking by the Colombo High Court and on October 30, sentenced to death. On November 11, they filed an appeal in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka against the verdict.
From : http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/presidential-pardon-indian-fishermen
