President’s Counsel Tirantha Walaliyadde says the pardon granted to former MP Ranjan Ramanayake by President Ranil Wickremesinghe is illegal owing to the fact it is based on at least two known conditions that violate Ramanayake’s fundamental rights as a citizen.

“In his affidavit to the courts, Ramanayake has said he would not make statements critical or derogatory in nature about the courts in the future. This should not have been included in the affidavit. He, himself has curtailed his fundamental rights.” he said.

Walaliyadde also noted that a person's freedom of speech can not be curtailed or taken away through a Presidential pardon. He pointed out that the official document granting the pardon has not been made public, thereby concealing the conditions under which the pardon was granted to Ramanayake.

“No one knows what these conditions are but they must be legal. How can a President grant a pardon while violating a citizen’s fundamental right accorded by the constitution,” he asked. According to him, such a conditional pardon contravenes the constitution of Sri Lanka.

“The conditions that he cannot engage in politics and that he cannot speak about the courts are not legal. Therefore the pardon granted is invalid as well and makes it illegal” he added. Walaliyadde made these comments while attending a television interview recently.