Srilanka, July 12 -- A committee appointed to overhaul Sri Lanka's Presidential Pardon system has recommended that offenders convicted of child sexual abuse and rape be barred from receiving any form of Presidential clemency.

The committee has also proposed a new framework to address chronic prison overcrowding without compromising public safety, according to Justice Ministry sources. The recommendations are contained in a 400-page report submitted to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration. The report proposes replacing the current ad hoc approach to granting Presidential Pardons with a transparent, rules-based system founded on internationally recognised best practices, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna ...