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 17, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR HEROIN PEDDLER
A youth was sentenced to death on 13 December 2019 by the Colombo High Court after being found guilty for possessing and peddling 25.77grams of heroin.
DECEMBER 16, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: TWO FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Colombo High Court sentenced to death two accused after they were found guilty of hacking to death a 17-year-old boy in 2001, News First reported on 12 December 2019.
DECEMBER 13, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DRUG TRAFFICKER KALU THUSHARA SENTENCED TO DEATH
Drug trafficker “Kalu Thushara” was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court on 10 December 2019.
DECEMBER 11, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: SUPREME COURT EXTENDS STAY ORDER AGAINST IMPLEMENTING DEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on 9 December 2019 extended the interim order staying the implementation of the death penalty on the prisoners who were sentenced to death for drug offenses until 20 March.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 35-YEAR-OLD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A 35-year-old man was sentenced to death by Colombo High Court Judge Dhammika Ganepola for hacking to death a youth down Station Road in Ratmalana, News First reported on 28 November 2019.
NOVEMBER 13, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN CONVICTED FOR POSSESSING DRUGS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A person who was convicted for the possession of 200g 600mg of heroin was sentenced to death on 11 November 2019.
NOVEMBER 11, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE IMPOSED ON JULAMPITIYE AMARE
The Tangalle High Court on 8 November 2019 imposed the death sentence on ‘Julampitiye Amare' over the Katuwana shooting incident in 2012.
- NOVEMBER 11, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: PRESIDENT SIRISENA GRANTS PARDON TO ROYAL PARK MURDER CONVICT ON DEATH ROW
Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena in the final week of his term in office has pardoned a death row prisoner who was convicted of a murder of a Swedish teenager in 2005, local media reported on 9 November 2019.
NOVEMBER 8, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: ACCUSED SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER
A man found guilty of killing his wife and two children in 2012 was sentenced to death on 7 November 2019.
- NOVEMBER 5, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SUPREME COURT EXTENDS STAY ON DEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka' s Supreme Court on 29 October 2019 effectively blocked a plan by the president to bring back hangings for the first time since 1976 before he leaves office next month.
NOVEMBER 4, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: FATHER OF 2 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR POSSESSING HEROIN
A 38-year-old father of two on 30 October 2019 was sentenced to capital punishment by the Colombo High Court, over charges of possession of heroin.
- OCTOBER 24, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI 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.