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
- FEBRUARY 19, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. 4 SRI LANKANS EXECUTED FOR ARMED ROBBERY
Saudi Arabia executed four Sri Lankans for a series of violent robberies in the conservative kingdom. A
- JANUARY 30, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
5 SENTECED TO DEATH IN QATAR
five Sri Lankan men were sentenced to death, including one in absentia, as they were found guilty of killing a compatriot in Doha last February.
- JANUARY 1, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness, offences against the State, economic offences, drug offences and arms trading.
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness, offences against the State, economic offences, drug offences and arms trading.
- DECEMBER 14, 2006Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA SENTENCES TWO TO HANG FOR TSUNAMI MURDER
two Sri Lankans accused of grabbing a gold chain from a woman caught in the 2004 tsunami before letting her be swept to her death have been sentenced to death for her murder. The men were caught on camera in December 2004 as they pushed the woman back int
- NOVEMBER 29, 2006KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKAN STILL ALIVE FIVE HOURS AFTER HANGING IN KUWAIT: REPORTS
a Sri Lankan national who was executed in Kuwait for murdering an Asian woman during a robbery remained alive five hours after he was hanged and pronounced dead, newspapers reported
- APRIL 2, 2006Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. THREE SRI LANKANS FACE EXECUTION FOR ROBBERY
three Sri Lankan nationals were reported to be at risk of imminent execution. Their cases had been referred to Saudi Arabia’s Head of State, King Abdullah Bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Al-Saud, to decide whether to grant clemency or to ratify their sentences, a report
- JANUARY 20, 2006Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA. MINISTER CLEARED, FIVE CONDEMNED TO DEATH FOR ELECTION DAY KILLINGS
Sri Lanka's High Court cleared a former deputy defence minister and his two sons over the killing of 10 men but handed down death penalties to five soldiers who were involved.
- JANUARY 1, 2006Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness, offences against the State, economic offences, drug offences and arms trading.
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness, offences against the State, economic offences, drug offences and arms trading.
- OCTOBER 21, 2005Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 4.6 GRAMS OF HEROIN
Lakshman Jayaweera, a Sri Lankan man, was sentenced to death following a five-year trial for possessing 4.64 grams of heroin.
- JULY 25, 2005Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka. President urged to implement capital punishment
the Attorney General's Department of Sri Lanka recommended that President Chandrika Kumaratunga implement capital punishment against those already sentenced to death.
- JULY 6, 2005Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
PRESIDENT URGED TO PREVENT RETURN OF DEATH PENALTY AFTER 29 YEAR MORATORIUM
Amnesty International issued a statement saying it was gravely concerned at reports that Sri Lanka was set to carry out its first execution in 29 years and called on the country's president to prevent the resumption of executions in the country.
- JULY 4, 2005Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA. FIVE PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING JUDGE
five men were sentenced to hang for killing Sarath Ambepitiya, a Sri Lankan judge who had handed down heavy sentences on gangsters.