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 20, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: ACCUSED SENTENCED TO DEATH ON HIS 52ND B’DAY
karate instructor Abeysiri Guruge, alias Karate Guruge...
- JUNE 29, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
brothers Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Karunaratne and Dissanayake Mudiyanseslage Piyasena were sentenced to death by Badulla High Court judge Paiyaseeli Wickramasinghe in Sri Lanka for murdering Aththanayake Mudiyanselage Appuhamy at Madugastalawa, Passara,
- JUNE 27, 2011Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKAN WOMAN FACES 'DEATH BY BEHEADING' IN SAUDI ARABIA
Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek is poised to be executed in Saudi Arabia by beheading in front of a crowd of people for allegedly killing a four-month-old baby in her care in May 2005.
MAY 19, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DEATH ROW PRISONERS COMMENCE A FAST UNTO DEATH
death row prisoners started a fast unto death campaign at the Welikada prison in Colombo
- MAY 11, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR REVENGE KILLING
Jayamaha Mohottige Anura was sentenced to death by Puttalam High Court judge Arafath Thaseem in Sri Lanka for murder.
- MAY 11, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TRIO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DOUBLE MURDER
in Sri Lanka, Mavin Kulasuriya...
- APRIL 11, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: MURDER ACCUSED GETS DEATH SENTENCE
in Sri Lanka, Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Amal Thilakaratne sentenced Hewafonsekage Saranath Asiri Fonseka of Moratuwa to death in absentia for robbing Rs 3.5 Million from a jewellery shop in Moratuwa and murdering employee K A Gunawardena on Aug
MARCH 30, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: THREE ARMY MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH
in Sri Lanka, Colombo High Court judge Jayatilake sentenced three soldiers to death for the
- MARCH 1, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: MOTHER OF 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH
Munasinghe Arachchige Chamali Perera from Mattakuliya was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court Judge P. Padman Surasenain in Sri Lanka for possessing 23.2 grams of heroin on December 19, 2004.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 250 DEATH-ROW PRISONERS HAVE EYE AILMENTS
a clinical survey revealed 250 death row prisoners in Welikada Prison in Sri Lanka suffer from eye ailments.
- JANUARY 27, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER ACCUSED
in Sri Lanka, Matara High Court Judge Sisira Kumara Ratnayake sentenced Hekarella Gamachchige Kumarasiri, alias Ruppekumara, to death for murdering Jayalath Gunasekarage Piyasiri of Alakoladeniya with a knife on January 1, 2008.
- JANUARY 1, 2011Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
- NOVEMBER 25, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH FOR MURDER CASE SUSPECT
in Sri Lanka, Kandy High Court Judge W C Pushpamali sentenced Heenagedara Wedikkara...
- OCTOBER 24, 2010Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: NAFEEK'S DEATH SENTENCE CONFIRMED
Chief Justice Abdullah Al-Rosaimi of the Supreme Court in Riyadh...
- OCTOBER 21, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: "A COURT MARTIAL CAN EVEN HAND OVER A DEATH SENTENCE"
the Sri Lankan Deputy Solicitor General F Jameel stated that a military tribunal...
SEPTEMBER 15, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: THREE BROTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Sri Lankan High Court Judge Sunil Rajapakse sentenced brothers Dadallage
- JULY 21, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE ON MUM, SONS
a mother S. Umma, 45, and her two sons M. Faizal, 26, and I. Rishan, 24, were sentenced to death by the Kalmunai High Court in Sri Lanka for murdering a Civil Defence Officer in Oluvil in 2004 over a dispute
- JULY 10, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING BROTHER
in Sri Lanka, Puttalam High Court Judge S.D.A. Thaasim sentenced Kiriyage Susil, a resident of Periyakulam in the Anamaduwa Police Division, to death for murdering Kiriyage Abeyruwan on August 3, 1997. Susil strangled his older brother for harassing their
- MAY 12, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: ACCUSED GETS DEATH SENTENCE
in Sri Lanka, Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne sentenced Asithaodabedda, alias Chutta, to death for murdering Madonakondage Saumya Priyadarshanee of Panadura on March 27, 2001 by forcing her to drink poison.
- APRIL 22, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR PAVEMENT HAWKER MURDER
in Sri Lanka, Badulla High Court Judge P Wickremesighe sentenced Ahangama Vidanelage Jayasinha, alias Hitchchiputha, to death for murdering pavement hawker H.M. Sudath on December 30, 1999.
- MARCH 31, 2010KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
69 SRI LANKAN DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN KUWAIT PRISONS - 11 WOMEN AMONG THEM
69 Sri Lankans involved in drug trafficking are serving jail sentences in Kuwait prisons...
MARCH 15, 2010Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH ROW MAID IN A FIGHT FOR HER LIFE
Rizana Nafeek is appealing her death sentence for the accidental death of a child that a family
- MARCH 10, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FATHER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING DAUGHTER
in Sri Lanka, Badulla High Court Judge P. Wickremesinghe sentenced to Mohamed Naseem death for murdering his daughter Pathima Sharmila, 2, at Haputale on September 10, 1999.
- JANUARY 1, 2010Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
- NOVEMBER 26, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: CHILD KILLER’S APPEAL AGAINST DEATH SENTENCE REJECTED
in Sri Lanka, Balapitiya High Court Judge Amal Thilakaratne dismissed the appeal of Thomme Hakuru Wimaladasa alias ‘Sakara’ against his death sentence.
- NOVEMBER 24, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA FOR KILLING WIFE
in Sri Lanka, Kalmunai High Court Judge Chandramathi Visvalingan sentenced Mohamed Ismail Nizardeen of Akkaraipattu to death in absentia.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS 1 INDIAN, 2 LANKANS FOR MURDER
Two Sri Lankans, one of them a woman, and an Indian were beheaded by the sword in the Red Sea city of Jeddah for theft and murder, the Saudi interior ministry said.
- OCTOBER 12, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH
in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, North Central Provincial High Court Judge Meneka Wijesundera sentenced a millionaire and his three accomplices to death for murder. Premaratne Galappatti, PH Sugathapala, W Thilakasiri, and Senaratne Edward allegedly got drunk
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: CRM WANTS DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED
the Civil Rights Movement of Sri Lanka reiterated its appeal for the abolition of the death penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: NO DECISION TO IMPOSE DEATH PENALTY
Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Justice and Law Reforms V. Puthrasigamoney said the government still had decided to impose capital punishment.