Sri Lanka | Appeals Court upholds death sentence on drug trafficker ‘Sudakaran’

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A Sri Lankan appeals court has upheld the death sentence for a man convicted of trafficking just over two grams of heroin, reaffirming the island nation’s strict—though currently symbolic—stance on narcotics offenses.

The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal filed by Jayasingam Rajeev, known by the alias "Sudakaran," who was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court for the possession and trafficking of 2.53 grams of heroin.

Under Sri Lankan law, possessing more than 2 grams of heroin can trigger a death sentence. This is why the case of "Sudakaran" (2.53 grams) resulted in such a heavy penalty.

In a ruling delivered by Justices Shashi Mahendran and P. Kumararatnam, the court found that the original trial judge had correctly evaluated the evidence and that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Rajeev was arrested on March 17, 2014, during a police raid in the Madampitiya area of Colombo. Following his conviction, he challenged the verdict, arguing that the High Court had failed to account for contradictions in the prosecution’s testimony and had ignored potential illegalities regarding his arrest.

The appellate bench, however, found no legal grounds to interfere with the lower court's decision.

"The High Court judge correctly analyzed and evaluated the evidence in an appropriate manner," the bench noted in its judgment, confirming that the initial verdict remained legally sound.

While Sri Lanka continues to hand down death sentences for drug trafficking and other capital offenses, the country has maintained a moratorium on executions since 1976.

Death Row inmates typically have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, though recent administrations have occasionally threatened to resume hangings to combat the country’s growing drug trade.

The ruling comes amid a broader, controversial crackdown on narcotics in Sri Lanka. Since late 2023, the "Yukthiya" (Justice) operation has seen tens of thousands of arrests as authorities attempt to dismantle distribution networks.

Rights groups have frequently criticized the country's drug laws, citing concerns over the severity of sentencing for small quantities and reports of due process violations during raids.

Moratorium

The death penalty remains part of Sri Lanka’s penal code for offenses such as murder and drug trafficking, but its application is complicated by decades of legal and political maneuvering.

Since June 1976, Sri Lanka has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions. While judges regularly hand down death sentences—including to narcotics offenders like "Sudakaran"—these are almost always commuted to life imprisonment. As of 2026, the country continues to vote in favor of UN resolutions calling for a global moratorium on capital punishment.

In 2019, the government attempted to resume hangings specifically for drug traffickers, even going so far as to recruit new executioners. However, the Supreme Court stayed those orders following fundamental rights petitions.

In 2022, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s administration informed the court it would not sign death warrants, a stance largely maintained under the current leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Source: DPN, News outlets, Agencies,Staff, AI, February 28, 2026

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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