The list of names of prisoners sentenced to death for drug trafficking was handed over to Justice Ministry yesterday by Prison Department.There are 18 death row prisoners for drug trafficking and of them four are Pakistani nationals, Prison Media Spokesman Commissioner Thushara Upuldeniya said. These prisoner are detained at Welikada, Angunakolapelessa and Pallekelle. The name list of death row prisoners will be handed over to the President by the Justice Ministry Secretary after making confirmed of it after going through ledgers and files.

“The list was compiled following a directive issued by the President”, Ministry sources said. President Maithripala Sirisena said he had decided to sign the death warrant on prisoners sentenced to death on drug offences engaged in drug trafficking from their prison cells.