Sri Lanka
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- presidential republic
- CONSTITUTION
- August 16, 1978, amended in December 2001
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- a combination of common law, Roman-Germanic law, Kandyan systems, and Jaffna Tamil law
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, Parliament
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court and Court of Appeal (judges appointed by the President)
RELIGIONS
69.1% Buddhists, 7.6% Muslims, 15% Hindus, 8% Christians, 10% unspecified
From the country
OCTOBER 24, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: INDIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DEALING IN HEROIN
An Indian national guilty of trafficking heroin on 23 October 2019 was sentenced to death by the Negombo High Court.
- OCTOBER 14, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DRUG TRAFFICKER ORDERED THE DEATH PENALTY
Drug trafficker Mohomad Gadaffi of Maligawatta on 11 October 2019 was ordered the death penalty by the Colombo High Courts.
OCTOBER 10, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF MARRIED COUPLE
An individual found guilty over the murder of a married couple in Udugama seven years ago, was sentenced to death on 4 October 2019 by the Galle High Court.
OCTOBER 4, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MOTHER AND SON SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER
A mother and a son of the same family on 3 October 2019 were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court over a case of murder.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH BY COLOMBO HC
The Colombo High Court on 21 August 2019 sentenced a person to death for the trafficking and possession of heroin.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER IN MORATUWA
The Panadura High Court on 3 September 2019 sentenced to death three persons who were found guilty over hacking to death of a person in 2009 at Egoda Uyana Junction in Moratuwa.
- JULY 31, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: HEROIN SMUGGLER SENTENCED TO DEATH BY COLOMBO HIGH COURT
The Colombo High Court on 30 July 2019 sentenced a heroin smuggler to death. The suspect is Jesmin Rizwan, a resident of Maligawatta.
JULY 23, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A suspect that was convicted of heroin racketeering charges was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court on 18 July 2019.
JULY 15, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: GOVT. FAST-TRACKS MOVES TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
The Government on 12 July 2019 fast tracked its move to have the death penalty abolished in the country by having a private members bill published in the Gazette hours after a motion to this effect was tabled in the House.
JULY 8, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: SUPREME COURT ISSUES INTERIM INJUNCTION ON IMPLEMENTING DEATH PENALTY UNTIL OCTOBER 30
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on 5 July 2019 issued an interim order staying the implementation of the death penalty until October 30.
JULY 3, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: CARRYING OUT DEATH PENALTY WILL CAUSE LOSS OF GSP+ SAYS JVP
President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to carry out the death penalty will lead Sri Lanka to lose GSP+ benefits received from the European Union as well as set the stage for an anti-Sri Lanka campaigns across the world, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (J
JULY 2, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE AND HIS PARTY OPPOSE REINSTATING DEATH PENALTY
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on 30 June 2019 he and the United National Party (UNP) do not agree to implementing the death penalty ending a 43-year moratorium and many political parties including the opposition are against it.