Human Rights Commission of SL opposes death penalty

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has in writing voiced its opinion regarding the government's decision to enforce the death penalty. The Human Rights Commission's (HRCSL) opinion was conveyed in a letter to the President Maithripala Sirisena, which was signed by the Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Deepika Udagama. The HRCSL raised several concerns through this letter. "We admit that there are huge social problems caused by drug trafficking and that drug smugglers are engaged in a seriously anti-social process. However, it is the Commission's view that it can be successfully addressed not by the implementation of vindictive punishments such as death penalty but by capturing the drug traffickers efficiently and properly and enforcing serious punishments appropriate to their crimes. The statement further read that if the convicted drug traffickers already in the jail engage with the outside world using new technology and carry out the drug trade, the correct solution should be to strengthen the security arrangements in the prison with modern technology and to constantly monitor the prison officers involved in these activities and effectively enforce law against them. Furthermore, the HRCSL noted that it's a well-known fact that the main factor for the spread of drug trafficking in this scale is the support from political connections and some sections of law enforcement. The commission also wrote to the President, "We see that quick and ineffective solutions such as implementing death penalty without addressing the reasons will not be successful in long-term to save our society from this drug menace." The HRCSL also reminded the President that Sri Lanka voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution, calling for a universal moratorium on executions in December 2016, along with 116 other countries.