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
- 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.
- APRIL 20, 2005Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka abstained from the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Sri Lanka abstained from the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
- MARCH 3, 2005Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA. MINISTER'S WIFE AND THREE OTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
N. Mary Juliet Monica Fernando, wife of Christian and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Milroy Fernando and three other accused were sentenced to death in Sri Lanka by Colombo High Court judge Upali Abeyaratne after a jury turned in a guilty verdict in the m
- FEBRUARY 21, 2005Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Mr.Shanmugam Ragupathi, a Tamil youth of Jaffna was released...
Mr.Shanmugam Ragupathi, a Tamil youth of Jaffna was released after fifteen years in Welikada jail, in Sri Lanka, when the Supreme Court quashed the death sentence imposed on him by the Colombo High Court in a case in which he was indicted by the Attorney
- JANUARY 1, 2005Sri 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 16, 2004Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Colombo High Court Judge Upali Abeyratne sentenced to death Suppaiah Paulraj
Colombo High Court Judge Upali Abeyratne sentenced to death Suppaiah Paulraj
- DECEMBER 9, 2004Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Church leaders in Sri Lanka added their voices to criticism of the government's decision to reinstate the death penalty
Church leaders in Sri Lanka added their voices to criticism of the government's decision to reinstate the death penalty
- DECEMBER 1, 2004Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
the assassination of a Sri Lankan judge...
the assassination of a Sri Lankan judge...
- NOVEMBER 24, 2004Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International said it was "gravely concerned" over Sri Lanka's decision to reinstate the death penalty
Amnesty International said it was "gravely concerned" over Sri Lanka's decision to reinstate the death penalty
- NOVEMBER 20, 2004Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka reactivated its dormant death penalty
Sri Lanka reactivated its dormant death penalty
- JULY 12, 2004Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
A Sri Lankan woman was beheaded in the Saudi capital...
A Sri Lankan woman was beheaded in the Saudi capital for murdering her employer, the Interior Ministry said
- APRIL 21, 2004Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka abstained from the resolution on the death...
Sri Lanka abstained from the resolution on the death penalty at the 60th UN Commission on Human Rights
- APRIL 12, 2004Sri 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.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
A UN panel denounced persistent reports of torture...
A UN panel denounced persistent reports of torture in Sri Lanka and criticised the impunity enjoyed by security forces for crimes committed in the conflict with the Tamil Tiger rebels
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
September 17-19, 2003: an HOC delegation made up of...
September 17-19, 2003: an HOC delegation made up of Italian MP Enrico Buemi, MEP Marco Cappato, Regional Counsellor for Lombardy (Italy) Alessandro Litta Modignani and HOC Board Member Anna Zammit, visited Sri Lanka to lobby for support of a worldwide mor
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The debate on the resumption of executions seemed to...
The debate on the resumption of executions seemed to have died down somewhat after the Sri Lanka National Human Rights Commission wrote to the government pointing out that such a move would be in breach of the country's international obligations according
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
On September 19, the HOC delegation met the Secretary...
On September 19, the HOC delegation met the Secretary to the Justice Ministry Ms Dhara Wijayatilake, who pointed out that Sri Lanka, despite still having the death penalty on its statute books could not align itself with retentionist countries in internat
- JULY 2, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
A Sri Lankan court sentenced five people to death,...
A Sri Lankan court sentenced five people to death, including two police officers, for their role in a massacre at a detention camp housing suspected Tamil Tiger rebels and former child soldiers
- JUNE 26, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Shanmuga Sundaram Raghupathi, a member of Sri Lanka's...
Shanmuga Sundaram Raghupathi, a member of Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tiger rebels who was charged with attacking a navy base at Karainagar in the northern Karaitivu island, was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court, Sri Lanka, The Island newspape
- APRIL 24, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka abstained from the resolution on the death...
Sri Lanka abstained from the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights, in Geneva
- MARCH 2, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga will oppose...
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga will oppose moves by the government to re-implement the death penalty in the island, The Sunday Times reported
- FEBRUARY 9, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
A visit to a Colombo prison by Sri Lanka's Interior...
A visit to a Colombo prison by Sri Lanka's Interior Minister John Amaratunga to inspect the gallows and ensure the hangman's noose is ready for use - if needed - triggered a fresh debate on the use of the death penalty to curb crime
- JANUARY 1, 2003Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness, offenses against the State, economic offenses, drug offenses and arms trading
- OCTOBER 1, 2002Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka's Colombo High Court sentenced to death three...
Sri Lanka's Colombo High Court sentenced to death three suspects charged with murdering a customs officer, the Island newspaper said
- JANUARY 11, 2002Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Canada's Supreme Court ruled that refugees who face...
Canada's Supreme Court ruled that refugees who face torture in their homelands "generally" cannot be deported there, unless the evidence shows that their continued presence in Canada poses a serious security risk to the country
- JANUARY 1, 2002Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness, offenses against the State, economic offenses, drug offenses and arms trading
- APRIL 3, 2001Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Mohamed Hussain Assar Mohamad and Mohamad Saly Mohamad...
Mohamed Hussain Assar Mohamad and Mohamad Saly Mohamad Faumi, two smugglers who were found guilty of the possession of 223
- JANUARY 16, 2001Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
A Sri Lankan expatriate, Vina Sishabi, was hanged at...
A Sri Lankan expatriate, Vina Sishabi, was hanged at the central prison of Kuwait city
- JANUARY 9, 2001Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a Sri Lankan man for the murder...
Saudi Arabia executed a Sri Lankan man for the murder of a fellow Sri Lankan while he was sleeping
- JANUARY 1, 2001Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness, offenses against the State, economic offenses, drug offenses and arms trading