The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a bilateral agreement with Poland allowing convicted citizens of either nation to serve their sentences in their home country, aimed at facilitating rehabilitation and social reintegration.
Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Ministers has given approval to establish a prisoner transfer agreement with Poland, enabling convicted nationals of both countries to complete their sentences within their respective home countries. The initiative is designed to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into their communities of origin.
The agreement operates under the framework of Sri Lanka's Transfer of Offenders Act No. 5 of 1995, which already provides the legal foundation for such arrangements. The legislation permits foreign nationals convicted in Sri Lankan courts to serve their sentences in their home countries, while also allowing Sri Lankan citizens who have been convicted and imprisoned abroad to be transferred back to complete their remaining sentences domestically.
Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara submitted the proposal to Cabinet for consideration. The bilateral arrangement is expected to facilitate more efficient prisoner management between the two nations while addressing humanitarian concerns related to offenders serving time far from their families and support systems.