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Sri Lanka Convicts 15 in 2019 Easter Bombings

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 11:22 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Sri Lanka Convicts Bombers

Sri Lanka's High Court convicted 15 of the 24 men charged with the 2019 Easter bombings.
Mohamed Naufar, named as the ringleader, was convicted on all counts.
Nine defendants were acquitted and one was found guilty of only some charges.
The trial recorded 23,270 charges, over 2,300 witnesses and more than 2,000 exhibits.
Sentencing was postponed, with some convicted facing death despite Sri Lanka not executing anyone since 1976.

Summary

Parliamentary Committee Rebukes

A parliamentary committee found police and intelligence officials ignored repeated warnings before the Easter attacks.
Former intelligence chief Suresh Salley, a retired army major general, was arrested in February for alleged conspiracy.
The High Court ordered confiscation of all convicted defendants’ property as part of the verdict.
All 15 convicted men belong to Sri Lanka’s minority Muslim community, highlighting the case’s communal dimensions.

History

Historical Context

Sri Lanka’s last execution took place on 31 July 1976 under President J. R. Jayewardene; a 1978 constitutional amendment requiring consent of the judge, Attorney General and Justice Minister stopped further hangings. Revival attempts followed Judge Sarath Ambepitiya’s 2004 murder and a 2019 signing of death warrants, with 1,100 inmates on death row by 2015. The 2024 High Court conviction of Mohamed Naufar and co-defendants reignites the debate.

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Sri Lanka Convicts Bombers

Sri Lanka's High Court convicted 15 of the 24 men charged with the 2019 Easter bombings.
Mohamed Naufar, named as the ringleader, was convicted on all counts.
Nine defendants were acquitted and one was found guilty of only some charges.
The trial recorded 23,270 charges, over 2,300 witnesses and more than 2,000 exhibits.
Sentencing was postponed, with some convicted facing death despite Sri Lanka not executing anyone since 1976.

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