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 16, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
CHURCH OF CEYLON SAYS NO TO DEATH PENALTY
The Church of Ceylon (Anglican Church) said it was against the death penalty
- JULY 11, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA TO HANG 19 DRUG CONVICTS
Sri Lanka will carry out the death sentence for 19 convicts over serious drug offences
- JULY 11, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
LANKA GOVT APPROVES CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR DRUG OFFENCES
The Sri Lankan Cabinet has unanimously approved a move to bring back capital punishment for drug-related crimes, a senior minister has said.
MAY 31, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: 3 SUSPECTS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY GALLE HIGH COURT
The Galle High Court handed down the death sentences to three suspects found guilty of murder.
MAY 18, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER COMMITTED 17 YEARS AGO
The Colombo High Court imposed death sentence on three persons convicted of stabbing a person to death in Nawagampura, Colombo in 2001 November 05.
- MARCH 22, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SOLDIER, 2 OTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HINDU PRIEST KILLING
A soldier and two others accused of killing a Hindu priest in Murugumoorthi Sankanai, Jaffna, on April 11, 2010, and severely injuring another were convicted and sentenced to death.
MARCH 14, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: HEROIN PEDDLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A heroin peddler accused of trafficking 14.6 grams of heroin was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court.
- JANUARY 1, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person
- NOVEMBER 19, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR POSSESSING 147 GRAMMES OF HEROIN
The Colombo High Court sentenced to death L. Chaminda Jagath, a father of two from Boralesgamuwa for possessing 147 grammes of heroin.
OCTOBER 27, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: 2 FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER 35 YRS AGO SENTENCED TO DEATH
Two persons found guilty of a murder 35 years ago have been sentenced to death by the Kurunegala High Court.
- OCTOBER 20, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Papua New Guinea: Death row inmates denied full protection of the law
The Court, presided over by Justice David Cannings, has ordered a stay on any execution of prisoners who have been sentenced to death until their rights under the constitution are fully complied with.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SEVEN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER VIDYA MURDER
The three-member judge bench hearing the case filed over the abduction, gang rape and murder of schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya gave the death penalty to the 7 suspects including the chief suspect in the case ‘Swiss Kumar’.
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE IMPOSED ON FOUR IN KEGALLA
The Kegalla High Court sentenced to death four accused who stood indicted over a murder and were found guilty.
- JUNE 1, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FIVE INCLUDING THREE OF ONE FAMILY SENTENCED TO DEATH
Five suspects, including three members of the same family, who were found guilty of three separate murders in Vavuniya, were sentenced to death by Vavuniya High Court Judge Balendran Shashimahendran.
- APRIL 9, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka: Reprieve death row, lifers to overcome prisons congestion, says report
To date, there are a total of 1,082 persons on death row, 726 cases remain under appeal, while Life sentence prisoners total 555, with 463 cases under appeal
- FEBRUARY 17, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER 1995 MURDER
The Kandy High Court sentenced to death five persons found guilty of a murder in 1995.
FEBRUARY 2, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: PRESIDENT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF 60 INMATES TO LIFE
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has decided to commute the sentences of 60 prisoners in death row to life sentences prisoners on account of the 69th Independence Day on February 04.
- JANUARY 9, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TEN PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH BY BADULLA AND MATARA HIGH COURTS
Ten persons were sentenced to death after being found guilty of two murders reported in Matara and Badulla.
- JANUARY 1, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person
- NOVEMBER 25, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 18 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN US TEA FIRM CASE
A court in Sri Lanka has given death sentences to 18 men over murdering a US tea company executive in the capital Colombo three years ago, the largest group to be condemned in a single trial in the South Asian country.
- OCTOBER 31, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER A MURDER CASE
The Colombo High Court has sentenced to death five relatives convicted of murdering an individual.
- OCTOBER 13, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: WOMAN KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The North Central Province High Court Judge, Manjula Thilakaratne, handed down the death sentence to a
- SEPTEMBER 1, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: MURDER SUSPECTS GET DEATH SENTENCE AFTER 23 YEARS
High Court Judge of Hambantota, Ajith Masinha, sentenced to death three suspects in a murder case that
- SEPTEMBER 1, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN HAMBANTOTA
Three people were sentenced to death by the Hambantota Provincial High Court on charges of having
JUNE 22, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: FOREIGN MINISTER CALLS ON LEADERS TO HAVE COURAGE TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Delivering the opening address at the first plenary session of Sixth World Congress Against the Death
- JUNE 15, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR JORDANIAN HEROIN PEDDLER
The Colombo High Court Judge Manilal Waidyathilake sentenced to death Jordanian who was found guilty
- MAY 23, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SIRISENA PARDONS 608 PRISONERS
Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has granted a presidential pardon for 608 inmates from Prisons
- APRIL 25, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: PRESIDENT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF 83 INMATES
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has decided to commute the death sentences of 83 prisoners in death row to life sentences.
FEBRUARY 9, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: SEVEN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER A 1989 MURDER
Seven persons have been sentenced to death by the Tangalle High Court over a murder reported in 1989.
- FEBRUARY 7, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: PRISONERS ON DEATH ROW TO GET LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Following a set of recommendations made by a committee appointed to look into the death sentence issued on several convicts, it has been decided to convert the death sentence imposed on 34 of those convicts into life imprisonment.