01st July 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, filed papers challenging the President’s act of signing the death warrant of four persons convicted of drug-related offences.
CPA notes that it has long been recognised that hanging by death is a cruel and inhuman form of punishment, not befitting a multi religious and civilised society. Though convicts have been sentenced to death, the long recognised practice in Sri Lanka for over 43 years has been that they were not executed.
CPA reiterates that the implementation of death penalty at this juncture is a violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 11[Freedom from torture] and under Article 12(1) [ All persons are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection before the law] of the Constitution
CPA’s statement on the resuming of the death penalty can be found here.