Sri Lanka
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
- News items in the archive
- 354
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Sri Lanka is classified as Abolitionist de facto in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 354 news items on Sri Lanka, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JANUARY 26, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
an Indian and two Sri Lankans were sentenced to death by a court in Saudi Arabia
an Indian and two Sri Lankans were sentenced to death by a court in Saudi Arabia
- JANUARY 17, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER CONVICT
in Sri Lanka, Colombo High Court Judge Thilak Thabrew sentenced Liyana Pathiranage Wickramanayake...
- JANUARY 1, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Sri Lanka voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- DECEMBER 17, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DRUG LORD SENTENCED TO DEATH
“drug kingpin” Mohammed Samoon Mohammed Shiyam, convicted for possessing nine kgs of pure heroin...
- DECEMBER 11, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA MAID'S "FORCED CONFESSION" MAY STILL BE USED IN DEATH PENALTY APPEAL: AHRC
an Asian human rights body expressed concern that an allegedly coerced confession by a Sri Lankan domestic worker sentenced to death for murder in Saudi Arabia may still be used against her in an appeal of the verdict to a higher court.
- OCTOBER 20, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
APPEAL COURT SET ASIDE DEATH PENALTY, ORDERS RE-TRIAL
APPEAL COURT SET ASIDE DEATH PENALTY, ORDERS RE-TRIAL
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA DEATH PENALTY FOR THREE IN MURDER CASE
in Sri Lanka, the Colombo High Court Judge Upali Abeyratne sentenced three people to death over the murder of Arokayam Nickson. Nickson was killed opposite the Sathosa shop at Maligawatta on August 29, 1995.
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR DOUBLE MURDER ACCUSED
Colombo High Court Judge W.T.M.P.B. Warawewa sentenced Sahul Hameed Rajainudeen of Colombo 2 to death for the murders of Cader Mohideen alias Galle Face Nana of Java Lane...
- AUGUST 5, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MATALE MAN
in Sri Lanka, H.M. Susil Samarakoon Herath of Ovilikanda, Matale...
- JULY 22, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SRI LANKAN MAID WINS REPRIEVE FROM DEATH PENALTY
lawyers of Rizana Nafeek, a 19 year old migrant worker from Sri Lanka,
- JULY 7, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKAN DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED
the death sentence of a Sri Lankan army major caught spying for the Tamil Tiger rebels was commuted to life imprisonment by the country's president.
- JUNE 25, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SRI LANKAN GETS DEATH FOR MURDER
the Tiruvannamalai district sessions court in India awarded the death penalty to R Rajan...
- JUNE 20, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKAN MAID SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF INFANT
a Sri Lankan housemaid, who murdered a four-month-old infant two years ago, was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia by a court in Dawadmi, 242 km from Riyadh.
- JUNE 15, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
THREE FOREIGNERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SAUDI ARABIA
media reported that two Sri Lankans and an Indian were convicted...
- APRIL 26, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA APPEAL COURT SETS ASIDE DEATH SENTENCE
the Appeal Court in Colombo, Sri Lanka...
- MARCH 23, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA DEATH SENTENCES FOR WELIKADA MURDER
two Sri Lankans were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court after being convicted of murder.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
ACTIVISTS BLAST SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADINGS
Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia violated international law when it beheaded four Sri Lankan
- FEBRUARY 21, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA ORDERS PUBLIC DISPLAY OF EXECUTED FOREIGNERS
a Saudi court ordered the bodies of four Sri Lankans to be displayed in a public square after being
- 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.