After an unjust trial by a Court Martial established by the Governor of Ceylon in, Diyunuge Edward Henry Pedris was unfairly put to death. However, he has now been granted a Presidential pardon.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced this decision through an extraordinary gazette notification issued yesterday. The Cabinet approved this pardon in December 2023 after investigating the execution of Edward Henry Pedris, who was sentenced to death by a colonial Court Martial 108 years ago.
Pedris, aged 27 at the time, was accused of treason by the colonial administration in Sri Lanka, allegedly for involvement in riots and disloyalty to the government. Despite making several appeals, he was convicted and executed on July 7, 1915.
