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
AUGUST 26, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
the Colombo High Court in Sri Lanka imposed the death sentence on the accused in the Dhammika
- AUGUST 25, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA ACCUSED OF WAR CRIMES AFTER 'TAMIL EXECUTION' VIDEOS EMERGE
Sri Lanka was accused of war crimes after video footage apparently showed government soldiers from the Sinhalese majority executing nine naked Tamils by shooting them in the back of the head.
- AUGUST 3, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: ACCUSED SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA
in Sri Lanka, the Trincomalee High Court Judge sentenced U.P.G.Chandrasena to death for killing a person and causing serious injuries to four others with a hand grenade on June 21, 1999.
- JULY 30, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE ON HIKKADUWAUC CHAIRMAN
Vinnie Kariyawasam, Chairman of the Hikkaduwa Urban Council, and his accomplice Thirimadura Harischandra De Silva were sentenced to death in Sri Lanka.
- JULY 26, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA MULLS REINTRODUCING DEATH PENALTY
the new Sri Lankan Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda is slated to discuss the possibility of implementing the death penalty with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
- JULY 24, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: ALL ACQUITTED
the Sri Lankan Supreme Court set aside the death sentences of five army personnel in the Udathalawinna murder case.
- JULY 20, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PANADURA KILLING
A.V. Ranjith Kumara, 28, was sentenced to death and 10 years jail and fined Rs. 5,000 for killing a van driver and robbing his vehicle at Kahatuduwa in Panadura, Sri Lanka, on August 21, 2001.
- MAY 25, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DOCTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WIFE, CHILD MURDER
a man was sentenced to death in absentia for murdering his wife and six month old infant by Kandy Provincial High Court Judge Wimal Nambuwasam in Sri Lanka.
- APRIL 27, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
QATAR: DEATH PENALTY IN SRI LANKAN MURDER CASE COMMUTED
a Doha appeals court in Qatar commuted the death penalty given to four Sri Lankans for their involvement in a compatriot’s murder to ten-year imprisonment.
- MARCH 23, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: KONESWARAM TEMPLE CHIEF PRIEST SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Chief Priest of the Sri Lankan Thirukoneswaram temple in Trincomalee, Siva Godaja Kurukkal Veeshakeshwar Assar, was sentenced to death for the murder of his wife by strangulation.
- MARCH 20, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka is still awaiting a written judgment...
Sri Lanka is still awaiting a written judgment on the ruling regarding the case involving two Sri Lankans who are facing execution in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over having an illicit affair.
- MARCH 17, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
in considering an individual communication under the Optional Protocol...
in considering an individual communication under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Human Rights Committee said the automatic and mandatory imposition of the death penalty constituted an arbitrar
- MARCH 5, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
GOVT TO APPEAL ON BEHALF OF LANKANS ON DEATH ROW
the Sri Lankan government will appeal on behalf of two Sri Lankan nationals against whom death sentences were issued by a court in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- FEBRUARY 11, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TWO RECEIVE DEATH PENALTY
in Sri Lanka, the Colombo High Court imposed the death penalty on P. Don Nilanka and K. Pradeep Samantha for the murder of A. Dimuthu Dilrukshana Silva of Dehigahapitiya on July 1, 1998.
- JANUARY 3, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: NAFEEK CASE POSTPONED AGAIN
the Dawadmi High Court in Saudi Arabia indefinitely postponed the case of Rizana Nafeek, the Sri Lankan maid sentenced to death in 2007 for death of an infant in her care.
- JANUARY 2, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
TWO SRI LANKANS BEHEADED IN SAUDI ARABIA
two Sri Lankans were beheaded by the sword in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of armed robbery and
- JANUARY 1, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
Capital crimes are: murder, causing an innocent person...
- DECEMBER 19, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH
Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara sentenced Gangodavilage Manoshantha and H.S. Chandana Perera to death for the murder of M.A. Nihal Gunasiri on December 31, 1994 at Kalubovila, Sri Lanka.
- DECEMBER 19, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH
in Sri Lanka, Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara sentenced C. Daminda Liyanaarachchi and H. Dumindu Indika to death for the murder of Ruwan Asela Gamage at Wennaguwatta, Kittampahuwa on December 11, 2005.
- DECEMBER 17, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne passed the death sentence on K. Maheslal Kumara
Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne passed the death sentence on K. Maheslal Kumara
- NOVEMBER 4, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: NINE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
nine people received the death penalty from two courts in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. According to
- OCTOBER 14, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: 3 SRI LANKANS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
a Jeddah court in Saudi Arabia sentenced three Sri Lankans to death and eight others, including five Indians, to imprisonment after they were found guilty of armed robbery and the murder of a Yemeni national.
- OCTOBER 6, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR TWO
the Colombo High Court in Sri Lanka imposed the death sentence on two accused who were found guilty of killing a businessman and robbing of his vehicle and mobile phone.
- AUGUST 26, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
the Supreme Judicial Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia upheld the objection filed by the attorney of
the Supreme Judicial Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia upheld the objection filed by the attorney of
- AUGUST 16, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDERING PREGNANT WOMAN
in Sri Lanka, Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne passed the death sentence on Alankarage Lal Gunawardena, 34, of Ingiriya, for murdering Amarasinghe Arachchige Udaya Kanthi, also 34, a pregnant woman from Ingiriya. She was the daughter
- JULY 29, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING 81 YR OLD MAN
Ignatius Fernandopulle, 51, of Negombo, Sri Lanka, who was indicted by the Attorney General for killing an 81 year old man, was sentenced to death by Puttalam High Court Judge L.T.B. Dehideniya.
- MAY 30, 2008United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE. FORMER INMATE SAVES TWO FRIENDS FROM DEATH ROW
an Indian and a Sri Lankan were saved from death row in the United Arab Emirates by
- MAY 28, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
QATAR: MAN SENTENCED TO HANG FOR BEATING DEATH
a Sri Lankan was sentenced to death in Qatar for killing a man as he slept because of an old dispute
- MAY 13, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA SIX SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DAYLIGHT KILLING
the Colombo High Court imposed the death penalty on six people found guilty of killing a man in broad daylight at Kolonnawa, Pakistan
- MARCH 19, 2008Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA. ACCUSED IN MURDER CASE SENTENCED TO DEATH
in Sri Lanka, Galle High Court Judge Bandusena Rajapakse sentenced Appuwa