Those who oppose executions for drug traffickers oppose building a better county: Sri Lanka president

President Sirisena during a religious ceremony – Government Official News Portal

Colombo: President Maithripala Sirisena said all those who are against the process of imposing the death penalty for drug traffickers are against the task of building a better country.

The reasons behind all the serious crimes such as murder, robbery and rape are the drugs, the President said, adding that he decided to impose the death penalty for drug traffickers with the aim of building a better country for the future generation.

A developed country means a country not only rich with physical resources, but also filled with disciplined and better persons, he said, Sri Lanka’s Government Official News Portal reported.

In June, Sirisena said he had signed the death warrants of four prisoners convicted of drug offenses.

However, reports in Colombo said that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had submitted a bill to Sri Lanka’s parliament to abolish the death sentence in the future and commute the sentences of those already on death row to life imprisonment.