Ranil drops MS decision to resume hanging

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, through Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, has informed the Supreme Court that judicial executions would not be resumed.

Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, who appeared for the Attorney General, stated the President’s position, when several fundamental rights petitions filed, calling for the annulment of the decision taken by former President Maithripala Sirisena, in 2019, to execute four defendants sentenced to death on drug charges, were called.

The petition was called before a three-member Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justices Vijith Malalgoda, L.T.B. Dehideniya and Murdhu Fernando.

When the Attorney General inquired about this yesterday, President Ranil Wickremesinghe informed that he would not use his signature to execute the death sentence.

The President asked the AG to inform the Court of his decision. Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, who represented the Attorney General, stated before the court that the government had taken a policy decision not to implement the death penalty.

Chairman of the bench, Justice Vijith Malalgoda asked the petitioners’ lawyers to inform the court on the next court date if there was any need to continue the petition.

The bench decided to recall the petitions on 23 February 2023.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena made a statement on 26 June 2019 that he had decided to sign an execution order in respect of four prisoners sentenced to death for drug-related offences.

Several parties including the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the Center for Policy Alternatives and the Organization for the Protection of Prisoners presented these fundamental rights petitions to the Supreme Court against the ex-President’s decision.

The petitions have alleged that the then president’s decision was against the country’s public policy and human rights.