Stop Executions in Sri Lanka!

Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka

After 43 years without using death penalty, the President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, is reportedly planning to execute prisoners on death row. If this happens, it will mean that President Sirisena will single-handedly undoSri Lanka’s enviable record of shunning this irreversible punishment in the region.

Now, when most of the world has turned its back on the death penalty – particularly for drug-related crimes - it risks heading in the wrong direction and joining a shrinking minority of states that persist with the practice.

The last execution in Sri Lanka was in 1976. 2019 cannot be the year that we see this this progress reversed.

To President Sirisena, we call on you to:
• Stop all steps being taken to resume executions in Sri Lanka
• Commute all death sentences
• Maintain the country’s decades
-long unofficial moratorium on the death penalty


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To: Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka
From: [Your Name]

After 43 years without using death penalty, we are concerned that Sri Lanka is planning to execute prisoners on death row. If this happens, it will undo Sri Lanka’s enviable record of shunning this irreversible punishment in the region.

Now, when most of the world has turned its back on the death penalty – particularly for drug-related crimes - Sri Lanka must not head in the wrong direction, joining a shrinking minority of states that persist with the practice.

The last execution in Sri Lanka was in 1976. 2019 cannot be the year that we see this this progress reversed.

President Sirisena, we call on you to:

• Stop all steps being taken to resume executions in Sri Lanka
• Commute all death sentences
• Maintain the country’s decades-long unofficial moratorium on the death penalty