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July 12, 2018

Sri Lanka to Reinstate Death Penalty for First Time Since 1976
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Sri Lanka has announced it will reinstate the death penalty, with plans
to put to death 19 prisoners convicted on drug charges. A government
spokesperson said the move was inspired by Philippines President Rodrigo
Duterte, who's overseen a wide-scale "war on drugs" that human rights
groups say has seen some 8,000 people killed by government forces or
vigilantes. In a statement, Amnesty International condemned the
decision, saying, "When most of the world has turned its back on the
death penalty, it risks heading in the wrong direction and joining a
shrinking minority of states that persist with this horrific practice."


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