Sri Lanka's High Court has convicted 15 men in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 270 people and injured more than 500. The attackers targeted three churches and three luxury hotels.
Sri Lanka's High Court has sentenced 15 men, including Naufer Moulavi, who prosecutors allege masterminded the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, to prison terms ranging from 200 to 260 years. The court also ordered the confiscation of their movable and immovable assets. The men were found guilty of plotting the coordinated attacks that targeted three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 270 people and injuring more than 500. The blasts were the deadliest in Sri Lanka since the end of its civil war in 2009.
Nine other men were acquitted. Most of those killed were Sri Lankans, many of whom were children. Among the victims were celebrity chef Shantha Mayadunne and her daughter, an entire young family of five, and at least eight hotel staff members. Foreigners who died included citizens from 11 different countries. The bombers who carried out the attacks died in the blasts. The 25 men indicted were from Sri Lanka's Muslim minority, and one died in custody. The court in Colombo brought the accused, who had been charged with more than 23,000 offences, to the courtroom in two prison buses, handcuffed in pairs.
Why it matters
The verdict affects the families of victims and highlights the ongoing legal and political consequences of the 2019 attacks.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.
What to watch
The implementation of asset confiscation and the potential appeal of the convictions by the defendants.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.