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, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Five members of the same family were sentenced to death by Homagama High Court Judge Damith Thotawatte on 15 December 2020.
- OCTOBER 18, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SUPREME COURT EXTENDS STAY ORDER ON RE-IMPOSITION OF DEATH PENALTY
The Supreme Court on 14 October 2020 extended till 28 October 2020 the stay order issued earlier on the re-imposition of death penalty on murder convicts.
AUGUST 5, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER OF DAUGHTER
Nuwara Eliya High Court on 4 August 2020 sentenced a man to death for the murder of his three and half year old daughter.
AUGUST 3, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: SLPP RATHNAPURA DISTRICT CANDIDATE PREMALAL JAYASEKARA AND TWO OTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Former MP, SLPP (Sri Lanka People's Front) candidate from Rathnapura district, Premalal Jayasekara and two others on 31 July 2020 were sentenced to death over a fatal shooting incident during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s campaign in Kahawatta in the run
JULY 4, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: NIGERIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Colombo High Court on 3 July 2020 sentenced a Nigerian national to death for possession and trafficking of cocaine.
JUNE 18, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR ‘KUDU THILAN’
Dewage Thusitha Chamara alias ‘Kudu Thilan’ who was found guilty for possessing and peddling over 270 grams of heroin, was on 18 June 2020 sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court.
- JUNE 11, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FOUR SUSPECTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER BY KALUTARA HC
The Kalutara High Court on 11 June 2020 handed down the death sentence on four suspects proven guilty of murder.
MARCH 28, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: PRESIDENT PARDONS SOLDIER WHO KILLED TAMIL CIVILIANS
Sri Lanka's president on 26 March 2020 pardoned and released an army officer sentenced to death for slitting the throats of Tamil civilians, including four children, during the island's bloody ethnic war.
FEBRUARY 17, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: THREE ACCUSED IN MURDER CASE SENTENCED TO DEATH
Colombo High Court on 13 February 2020 sentenced three accused to death for killing a person.
- JANUARY 8, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: JUSTICE MINISTER BACKS DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG SMUGGLERS
Justice Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has backed a proposal to implement the death penalty for drug smugglers.
- JANUARY 1, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person