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
- DECEMBER 21, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International accused the Sri Lankan navy of...
Amnesty International accused the Sri Lankan navy of extrajudicial killings of civilians in the country's east
- DECEMBER 18, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The Presidency of the European Union called upon the...
The Presidency of the European Union called upon the Sri Lankan Government to identify and bring to justice those responsible for human rights violations in the country
- DECEMBER 7, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The decision triggered a heated debate among human...
The decision triggered a heated debate among human rights activists and the media
- NOVEMBER 23, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) decided to...
Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) decided to reintroduce the death penalty due to the escalating crime rates in the country
- NOVEMBER 23, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) decided to...
Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) decided to reintroduce the death penalty due to the escalating crime rates in the country
- NOVEMBER 23, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) decided to...
Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance (PA) decided to reintroduce the death penalty due to the escalating crime rates in the country
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
A teenager was sentenced to death by hanging for the...
A teenager was sentenced to death by hanging for the abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sadeepa Lakshan
- SEPTEMBER 15, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lankan convicted murderer Ranwilage Suren Sanjeewa...
Sri Lankan convicted murderer Ranwilage Suren Sanjeewa Fernando, 25, was hanged in Changi Prison, Singapore
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The right-wing Sinhalese party Sinhala Urumuya, one...
The right-wing Sinhalese party Sinhala Urumuya, one of the first few parties to make its campaign issues known to the public, released its political manifesto
- MAY 22, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka's police narcotics bureau said it had seized...
Sri Lanka's police narcotics bureau said it had seized 38 kilograms (kg) of heroin, the largest ever haul in the country, considered a major transit point for international drug smugglers
- MAY 3, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels...
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels launched their biggest offensive in their more than two-decade-old bloody campaign for a separate Tamil homeland
- APRIL 26, 2000Sri 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 on April 26 (no
- MARCH 22, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
A senior minister said that Sri Lanka was drafting...
A senior minister said that Sri Lanka was drafting tough new laws to combat the growing wave of violent organised crime
- FEBRUARY 22, 2000Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The Jaffna Magistrate, M
The Jaffna Magistrate, M
- JANUARY 1, 2000Sri 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
- NOVEMBER 11, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
On November 11, Wator Abata Asharij Zembini, 29, a...
On November 11, Wator Abata Asharij Zembini, 29, a Sri Lankan bus driver at a private school, was put to death in the United Arab Emirates by firing squad because convicted of the premeditated murder of Nasser Abdullatif Mohammed Al Obaidli, an 18-year-ol
- OCTOBER 1, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
In October, security has been tightened in the country's...
In October, security has been tightened in the country's two main jails amid signs of unrest among the prisoners sentenced to be executed by hanging, following earlier announcements that the death penalty would be carried out in future
- MAY 31, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
On May 31, the Colombo High Court sentenced 3 Sri Lankans,...
On May 31, the Colombo High Court sentenced 3 Sri Lankans, Basil Mendis, Chaminda Kumara and Ajith Fernando, all in their early twenties, to death for the rape and murder of Rita Manoharan, killed last October
- APRIL 1, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
In April, Bishop Malcolm Ranjith, Secretary of the...
In April, Bishop Malcolm Ranjith, Secretary of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference said: "We appreciate the Government's interest in restoring law and order, but we are not in favor of the death penalty
- MARCH 13, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
On March 13, Sri Lanka said it would start carrying...
On March 13, Sri Lanka said it would start carrying out executions again, after a gap of more than 40 years, to curb rising crime
- FEBRUARY 23, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
On February 23, the Forum of the Representatives of...
On February 23, the Forum of the Representatives of State Corporations and Statutory Bodies urged the Government to take steps to arrest the rising wave of crime in the country by amending Section 296 of the Penal Code to include murder, sexual abuse agai
- JANUARY 1, 1999Sri 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
- JANUARY 1, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The last execution was carried out on June 23, 1976,...
The last execution was carried out on June 23, 1976, when 27-year-old Jayasinghe Chandradasa, a farmer convicted of murder, was hanged to death
- JANUARY 1, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka was a cosponsor of the amendments presented...
Sri Lanka was a cosponsor of the amendments presented by Egypt (A/C