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AG issues guidelines on Court proceedings for drug offenders

09 Apr, 2020

The Attorney General (AG) has issued strict guidelines to the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) to be considered when moving courts to grant bail to remandees over minor drug cases.

The instructions have been issued as part of the COVID-19 initiative undertaken? by the President?s Secretary P. B. Jayasundera and on the recommendations made by the special committee appointed by the President in this regard.

In a letter to the AG, President?s Secretary P. B. Jayasundera has requested court proceedings to be conducted for minor drug offenders due to the overcrowding of prisons, which could result in the spread of COVID-19 among prisoners.

Jayasundera pointed out that there were a considerable number of remandees who are in prison over a long period of time, pending conclusion of their judicial proceedings.

He requested for steps to be taken to release deserving remandees after an assessment of the seriousness of the charges levelled against them, having obtained relevant information from the Police and Prisons Departments. (Colombo Gazette)

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