President's stance on death penalty

DURING his interaction with Sri Lankans living in the US last week, President Anura Kumara Disanayake was asked about his stance on the death penalty to which he responded that this was an issue that should be considered carefully before being implemented.

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"We tend to think we should at least hang them. But I have to sign the death of a living being. Is it suitable? We must see if hanging is the only solution to prevent crimes, and how a signature decides a person's fate," he said.

It is refreshing to hear from the President that the execution of the death penalty should not be taken lightly and not brought back as a way to curb rising crime rates.

There has been a moratorium on the death penalty since 1978 while the last execution took place in the country in 1976. Despite this there have been calls to bring back the death penalty, mainly when serious crimes are reported.

The death penalty has been abolished in over 140 countries while there is a moratorium on carrying out death sentences in some countries. However, countries such as the USA, China, Japan, and India are some of the countries where the death penalty is still carried out.