Sri Lankan executioners paid millions despite death penalty moratorium

COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka has spent more than a million rupees to pay salaries of two hangmen since last year alone despite ending executions in 1976, official data show. Each hangman is paid a monthly salary of Rs 36,410, according to information obtained from the department of prisons under the Right to Information Act. The two executioners currently in service were recruited in June last year, amidst plans to re-introduce capital punishment as a move to curb the narcotics menace. Sri Lanka last implemented the death penalty in 1976 but has recruited seven executioners since 1999. There were no records of executioners recruited between 1976 and 1999. Among the recruitments made since 1999, one had been promoted to the post of prisons controller, two had abandoned service, and another had quit. The prisons department told News 1st, that the hangmen are entrusted with various duties since the punishment is not in effect, but did not elaborate on the tasks. More than 4000 people have been sentenced to death since 1976 in the country.