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
DECEMBER 31, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: 1, 299 ON DEATH-ROW IN PRISONS
A total of 1, 299 death row inmates, including inmates who had appealed against their sentence, have been detained in Sri Lankan prisons as of 31 December 2018, the Ministry of Justice and Prisons Reforms said on 9 January 2019.
NOVEMBER 15, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: TWO TO HANG FOR MURDER
Two suspects who were convicted of stabbing an individual in Kalawanchikudi to death were sentenced to death after a prolonged trial by the Batticaloa High Court on 30 October 2018.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: YOUTH SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR POSSESSION OF HEROIN
A youth who had been convicted for trading heroin and possession of 9 grams of heroin was sentenced to death on September 26 by the Colombo High Court.
AUGUST 8, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: TWO MURDER-CONVICTED ARMY OFFICERS GIVEN DEATH PENALTY
Two former Army officers have been sentenced to death by the Trincomalee High Court for assaulting and murdering an individual from Gurunagar area in Jaffna after taking him in for interrogations, says Ada Derana reporter.
- JULY 30, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR POSSESSING HEROIN
Two men who were found guilty of keeping 2.8 grams of heroin in their possession were sentenced to death by Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga.
JULY 18, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: TWO CONVICTED MURDERERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Two persons received death penalty by the Colombo High Court for an incident of a person was shot dead in Borella.
- JULY 17, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: THREE INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY COLOMBO HC
Three individuals were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court for a murder committed 26 years ago, in Pannipitiya.
- JULY 16, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
CHURCH OF CEYLON SAYS NO TO DEATH PENALTY
The Church of Ceylon (Anglican Church) said it was against the death penalty
- JULY 11, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA TO HANG 19 DRUG CONVICTS
Sri Lanka will carry out the death sentence for 19 convicts over serious drug offences
- JULY 11, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
LANKA GOVT APPROVES CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR DRUG OFFENCES
The Sri Lankan Cabinet has unanimously approved a move to bring back capital punishment for drug-related crimes, a senior minister has said.
- MAY 31, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 3 SUSPECTS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY GALLE HIGH COURT
The Galle High Court handed down the death sentences to three suspects found guilty of murder.
- MAY 18, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER COMMITTED 17 YEARS AGO
The Colombo High Court imposed death sentence on three persons convicted of stabbing a person to death in Nawagampura, Colombo in 2001 November 05.