At least 13 prisoners in Sri Lankan prisoners are “at risk of imminent execution” warned Amnesty International, as they launched an urgent action appeal this week.
“After 43 years without using the death penalty, the President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, is reportedly planning to execute prisoners on death row,” said Amnesty.
“There is completely secrecy around the dates identities of the prisoners who are expected to be imminently executed. No information about their case histories has been shared. It is unknown whether the individuals had fair trials, access to lawyers or whether they were able to engage in a meaningful clemency process. The last execution in Sri Lanka was in 1976. 2019 cannot be the year that we see this this progress reversed.
No details have been released about the prisoners thus far.
See more from Amnesty International here.
Earlier this month Amnesty International found that “people who are from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, or belonging to racial, ethnic or religious minorities, are disproportionately vulnerable to being sentenced to death”.
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