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Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Sri Lanka.[1]
Although no executions have been carried out since 23 June 1976, death sentences continue to be handed down by the High and Supreme Courts for murder and drug trafficking convictions.[2] The government decided to reinstate capital punishment in 2004 for cases of rape, drug trafficking and murder after the assassination of High Court judge Sarath Ambepitiya. Perjury that results in execution of an innocent person, treason, armed robbery, some military offences and certain crimes committed with the use of a gun (such as kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking, assault on a public servant) can also result in the death penalty.[3][1]