Women’s rights activists have filed an FR petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Presidential Pardon granted by President Maithripala Sirisena to Royal Park murder convict Don. Shamantha Jude Anthony Jayamaha.

They have also sought an interim order staying and suspending the Presidential Pardon granted to hm. The petitioner further sought an interim order, directing the Controller General of Immigration an Emigration to immediately impound or cancel the passport of Jude Anthony Jayamaha.

The Fundamental Rights petition was filed by Women & Media Collective organization.

The petitioner stated that President, though vested with the Constitutional power to grant a pardon, does not have the freedom to do so in gross violation of the Rule of Law, as well as all notions of justice, equity and rationality, as well as in reckless disregard of the sensibilities and sensitivities of the matter, including the existence of an aggrieved family, which is still to come to terms with the gruesome murder of Yvonne Jonsson, whose life was snuffed out at a very young age at the hands of the accused.

The Petitioners plead that there has been a gross violation of the Fundamental Rights of the Petitioners as well as the citizens and people of Sri Lanka, as well as of the family of Yvonne Jonsson, amounting to a violation of Article 12(1), in which there is a guarantee of equality and equal protection of the law.

The Petitioners state that two of the Presidential candidates, namely, the Presidential Candidate of the ‘New democratic Front’, Mr Sajith Premadasa and the Presidential candidate of the ‘National People’s Power’, Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, condemned the decision of the President to pardon the Jude Anthony Jayamaha on twitter.

President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena with counsel Rukshan Senadheera and Manisha Dissanayake appeared for the petitioner.