Criminal
1860 Penal Code plus contested special statutes
The colonial-era Penal Code and 1898 Criminal Procedure Code remain the core. Special laws — the Digital Security Act and its 2023 replacement, and the Special Powers Act — have drawn sustained criticism for speech prosecutions.
Governing law
- Penal Code, 1860
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898
- Cyber Security Act, 2023replacing the Digital Security Act, 2018
- Special Powers Act, 1974
In practice
Bail is discretionary for most offences but excluded for several special-law charges, which is why pre-trial detention is long. Confessions must be recorded by a magistrate to be admissible. The International Crimes Tribunal, constituted for 1971 offences, operates under its own 1973 statute with distinct procedure. Capital punishment is retained and carried out.