Sri Lanka releases five fishermen on death row

Sri Lanka today released the five fishermen who were on death row for allegedly smuggling drugs.

Earlier today, the fshermen on death row in Sri Lanka have reportedly withdrawn their appeal filed on behalf of them in Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal.

The Colombo High Court had on October 30th sentenced the five fishermen from Tamil Nadu - P Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath, and J Lanklet - to death on charges of smuggling 995 grams of heroin.

They were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for heroin trafficking in 2011.

The appeal filed against the Colombo High Court judgment was dismissed by a two-judge Appellate Court Bench comprising of Justices Vijith K. Malalgoda and A.H.M.D. Nawaz, after the counsel appearing for the five fishermen said they have decided to withdraw it.

Earlier this month Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to President Rajapakse to repeal the sentence.