Sri Lanka
2026
STATUSAbolitionist de facto
EXECUTIONS 20260
SENTENCES17
- 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
SEPTEMBER 12, 2022Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE, MURDER
A man who was found guilty for rape and killing his sister-in-law was on 10 August 2022 sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2022Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: PRESIDENT INFORMS THE SUPREME COURT THAT HE WILL NOT SIGN THE DEATH SENTENCES
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on 31 August 2022 informed the Supreme Court through the Attorney General that he will not sign the implementation of the death penalty.
- JULY 3, 2022Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SIX PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH 22 YEARS AFTER FIVE PEOPLE WERE SHOT DEAD IN 2000
Six people on 30 June 2022 were sentenced to death after they were convicted of murdering five people in Devinuawara in 2000.
JANUARY 12, 2022Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: PRISON CHIEF GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR MASSACRE
A top Sri Lankan prison official was sentenced to death on 12 January 2022 over the killing of 27 inmates in an execution-style massacre that attracted international condemnation.