Sri Lanka to fast track cases against drug offenders

Sri Lanka’s Justice Ministry will soon look at amending laws which will allow fast-tracking of cases against drug offenders, Human Rights and Legal Reforms State Minister Mohan Priyadarshana de Silva told the Daily Mirror yesterday.

Priyadarshana said that following discussions with legal experts, the government was urged to amend the laws to fast track cases against drug offenders as there was a large number of cases pending in courts.

"Although we have been just appointed we will take this matter as a priority and work to amend the laws," the Minister said.

He said in the future, the Justice Ministry will also hold discussions with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on whether capital punishment should be re-introduced on some drug dealers who are already serving sentences, following a proposal put forward by former President Maithripala Sirisena during the previous government.

He said the Ministry will first study the pros and cons of introducing the death penalty on major drug dealers and will discuss it with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa without taking any hasty decisions.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena had during his tenure been firm on re-introducing the death penalty but the Supreme Court issued a stay order after the former President said he signed four death warrants on drug offenders. (JAMILA HUSAIN)