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By APD writer Easwaran
COLOMBO, July 1 (APD) -- Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday accused the European EU and some others of threatening Sri Lanka on the death penalty issue.
The President said that the EU has threatened to withdraw the EU GSP Plus trade concession if Sri Lanka implements the death penalty.
Speaking at an event held on Monday to mark the end of an island-wide National Drug Prevention Week, the President said that no country can threaten Sri Lanka's sovereignty using such trade concessions.
The President strongly defended implementing the death penalty on serious offenders of illegal drug trafficking.
Sirisena also slammed the Government and the opposition for opposing implementing the death penalty on serious offenders of illegal drug trafficking.
He said that countries like the US and China implement the death penalty.
The President noted that in the Philippines the death penalty is used not just on drug traffickers but even on those who use it.
Sirisena said that he will not follow the Philippines system but would have if he could.
He said that drug trafficking has been linked to terrorism.
The President said that the Easter Sunday attacks had also been linked to drug traffickers.
Sirisena has signed an order to execute four convicts on death row who have beensentenced to death for drug trafficking.
However several countries and humanrights groups have urged the Sri Lanka Government to halt plans to resume executions and restore its de facto 43-year moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
