Sri Lankan PM opposes president's move to hang drug convicts

Sri Lanka’s prime minister says he opposes a decision by the president to execute drug convicts, saying the country must conduct its affairs in a civilized manner.

A statement from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office Tuesday says Sri Lanka under President Maithripala Sirisena has supported U.N. resolutions for a moratorium on the death penalty in 2016 and 2018.

Wickremesinghe has said he plans to discuss the matter with the Cabinet and later with the president and the speaker of Parliament.

Sirisena announced last week that he has signed the death warrants of four drug convicts and that the executions will take place soon, ending a 43-year moratorium on capital punishment.

Prisoners, rights groups and religious leaders have petitioned the Supreme Court to block the executions.