Writing to President Maithripala Sirisena regarding the government’s recent decision to re-introduce the death penalty the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has stressed that imposing the punishment is a human rights violation. Chairperson of the Commission Dr Deepika Udagama said having written to the President on January 1, 2016, the commission had made recommendations to remove the death penalty from the country’s legal system, the HRC is dismayed at the recent decision taken.
She also said in the letter that the commission does not feel implementing the death penalty can address the issue of drug trafficking. According to them implementing the death sentence will only contribute negatively to a society where the public has lost faith in the justice system.
Udagama also reminded the President of a set of recommendations issued in 2016 which called for the abolition of the death penalty in Sri Lanka in keeping with Sri Lanka’s commitment to a more humane society consonant with human rights principles and values.
Full text of the letter :
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