Petition against death penalty moved to October 31st

The Court of Appeal has ordered to take up the petition filed by journalist Malinda Seneviratne, seeking a court order against the decision to implement the death penalty on four prisoners, again on the 31st of October.

On July 5th, the five-judge bench consisting of Appeals Court President Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, Justices Deepali Wijesundara, Janak de Silva, Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeysekara stated that the verdicts the issuance of notice to hear the petition would be delivered today (17).

However, as the Supreme Court has issued an interim order preventing the implementation of the death penalty until the 30th of October, the Appeals Court judge bench informed that its order on the petition would not be delivered during today’s hearing.

Accordingly, the Appeals Court moved journalist Seneviratne’s petition to October 31st.