18 Facts About Mohan Peiris

Peter Mohan Maithree Peiris, PC is a Sri Lankan lawyer and diplomat.

Mohan Peiris served as the Attorney General of Sri Lanka from 2008 to 2011 and was the de facto Chief Justice of Sri Lanka from 2013 to 2015 when President Maithripala Sirisena declared his appointment void ab initio in 2015.

Mohan Peiris has been serving as the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations since January 2021 and was elected Vice President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in June 2023.

Mohan Peiris joined the Attorney General's Department in 1981 as a state counsel, later becoming a senior state counsel.

Mohan Peiris practiced in the original and appellate courts and specialized in areas of administrative law, commercial law, land law, fundamental rights and industrial law.

Mohan Peiris was appointed Attorney General on 18 December 2008 from the unofficial bar.

Mohan Peiris withdrew murder charges in a case against former deputy minister Chandana Kathriarachchi and served an indictment on unlawful assembly for which the accused pleaded guilty.

Mohan Peiris was appointed senior legal officer to the Cabinet in September 2011.

Mohan Peiris became Chairman of Seylan Bank in April 2012.

Mohan Peiris represented Sri Lanka in The UN Committee Against Torture in 2011 in which he said that the Sri Lankan Government has received intelligence information that missing lankaeNews cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda is living in a foreign country.

Mohan Peiris was nominated to be Chief Justice by President Mahinda Rajapaksa following the controversial impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake.

Mohan Peiris was sworn in as chief justice on 15 January 2013.

Mohan Peiris was officially inaugurated as chief justice at a ceremony in the Supreme Court on 23 January 2013.

Mohan Peiris is considered to be an ally of President Rajapaksa and his appointment was seen by critics as further consolidation of power by the president and his family.

The International Commission of Jurists condemned Mohan Peiris' appointment, describing it as a "further assault on the independence of the judiciary".

Mohan Peiris was appointed the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in January 2021 by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Mohan Peiris was elected Vice President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in June 2023.

Mohan Peiris is a Roman Catholic and is a worshipper at All Saints' Church, Borella.