Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, the answers are as follows:

¶ 02 (a) (i) As at 2025.09.23, inmates: convicted prisoners 10,509; remand prisoners 24,256; total 34,765.

¶ 03 (ii) There is no procedure to release prisoners based solely on completing 20 years of imprisonment.

¶ 04 (iii) Sentences—death penalty, life imprisonment, and fixed-term imprisonment—are imposed by courts.

¶ 05 (iv) Those sentenced, including remand detainees held under court orders, are held by prisons. Except for those sentenced to death or life imprisonment, prisoners serving determinate terms are released on the due date after sentence calculation in accordance with Prison Rules (302), which allow remission—typically up to one-third or, in some cases, up to one-quarter of the sentence. Remission does not apply to death or life sentences. Therefore, release is not based on merely completing 20 years.

¶ 06 (b) (i) 2,122 prisoners were in custody as at 31 August 2025 due to inability to pay fines, as per the detailed table tabled. (ii) Yes. (iii) Under Article 34 of the Constitution, the President may grant pardons. On specific occasions, when Presidential pardons are granted, selected prisoners unable to pay fines may have the balance of their sentences remitted. Releases otherwise occur in accordance with court-imposed sentences and Prison Rules (302) on sentence calculation and due release dates. (iv) Not applicable.

¶ 07 (c) Not applicable.