Sri Lanka on Wednesday began interviewing 47 applicants for two positions as hangmen, officials said, as Amnesty International urged Colombo not to bring back capital punishment.

President Maithripala Sirisena announced in February that Sri Lanka would end a 43-year moratorium on executions this month in a Philippines-inspired war on drugs.

An official said that 47 male applicants would be interviewed on Wednesday and Thursday after the government advertised the vacancies in February.&nbsp;

But the successful candidates may face a delay in carrying out their new role.

"Since there is no living person in Sri Lanka who has carried out an execution, we need to send the new recruits abroad for training," the official, who asked to remain anonymous, told AFP, adding that Colombo was also yet to identify a country to provide training.&nbsp;

"The rope (used for hangings) has not been used at all since it was imported (in 2015), it will have to be tested and certified."

Rights group Amnesty International meanwhile said resuming hangings would not end drug-related crime and that innocent people could be executed due to flaws in Sri Lanka's criminal justice system.

Sirisena has said that he was inspired by the anti-drug war in the Philippines and was keen to replicate the success of his counterpart Rodrigo Duterte. Sirisena has since deployed security forces in his battle against drugs.

In a nationally televised event in Colombo, Sirisena pledged to end the spread of narcotics within two years.

Restoring capital punishment is a centrepiece of his anti-drugs policy.

Criminals in Sri Lanka are regularly given death sentences for murder, rape and drug-related crimes but until now their punishments have been commuted to life in jail.

Sri Lanka's last judicial hanging was in 1976, but an executioner was in the post until his retirement in 2014. Three replacements since have quit after short stints at the unused gallows.

On Monday, Sirisena witnessed the destruction of nearly 800 kilos (1,280 pounds) of cocaine seized between 2016 and 2018.&nbsp;

In February, police seized nearly 300 kilos of heroin worth $17 million, the island's biggest haul, at a Colombo shopping mall. In 2013, police seized 260 kilos of heroin brought into the country hidden inside tractors imported from Pakistan.

Sri Lanka's biggest drug haul, by weight, was in December 2016 when police seized 800 kilos of cocaine. Six months earlier, authorities discovered 301 kilos of cocaine inside a shipping container.

Authorities believe the Indian Ocean island is also being used as a trafficking transit point.

Sri Lanka on Wednesday began interviewing 47 applicants for two positions as hangmen, officials said, as Amnesty International urged Colombo not to bring back capital punishment.

Sri Lanka on Wednesday began interviewing 47 applicants for two positions as hangmen, officials said, as Amnesty International urged Colombo not to bring back capital punishment. President Maithripala Sirisena announced in February that Sri Lanka would end a 43-year moratorium on executions this month in a Philippines-inspired war on drugs. An official said that 47 male applicants would be interviewed on Wednesday and Thursday after the government advertised the vacancies in February. But the successful candidates may face a delay in carrying out their new role. "Since there is no living person in Sri Lanka who has carried out an execution, we need to send the new recruits abroad for training," the official, who asked to remain anonymous, told AFP, adding that Colombo was also yet to identify a country to provide training. "The rope (used for hangings) has not been used at all since it was imported (in 2015), it will have to be tested and certified." Rights group Amnesty International meanwhile said resuming hangings would not end drug-related crime and that innocent people could be executed due to flaws in Sri Lanka's criminal justice system. Sirisena has said that he was inspired by the anti-drug war in the Philippines and was keen to replicate the success of his counterpart Rodrigo Duterte. Sirisena has since deployed security forces in his battle against drugs. In a nationally televised event in Colombo, Sirisena pledged to end the spread of narcotics within two years. Restoring capital punishment is a centrepiece of his anti-drugs policy. Criminals in Sri Lanka are regularly given death sentences for murder, rape and drug-related crimes but until now their punishments have been commuted to life in jail. Sri Lanka's last judicial hanging was in 1976, but an executioner was in the post until his retirement in 2014. Three replacements since have quit after short stints at the unused gallows. On Monday, Sirisena witnessed the destruction of nearly 800 kilos (1,280 pounds) of cocaine seized between 2016 and 2018. In February, police seized nearly 300 kilos of heroin worth $17 million, the island's biggest haul, at a Colombo shopping mall. In 2013, police seized 260 kilos of heroin brought into the country hidden inside tractors imported from Pakistan. Sri Lanka's biggest drug haul, by weight, was in December 2016 when police seized 800 kilos of cocaine. Six months earlier, authorities discovered 301 kilos of cocaine inside a shipping container. Authorities believe the Indian Ocean island is also being used as a trafficking transit point.

Sri Lanka interviews 47 potential hangmen, Amnesty urges it to not bring back capital punishment

As Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena is pushing for a hardline policy to combat drug trafficking, the country began advertising for hangmen this week in local newspapers.

An advertisement published in the state-run Daily News on Monday put the monthly pay at 36,310 rupees ($203.99), which would be above average for a government job.

According to the advertisement, candidates should be&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lankan, male, aged between 18 and 45, and have both "excellent moral character" and "mental strength".

In a move inspired by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, Sirisena last week had said that he wants to resume the use of capital punishment for drug traffickers in the next few months "even if there are protests".

"On the basis of the reports currently available, we will very likely be able to implement the death penalty in the next few months. I have taken a firm decision to do so, even if there are protests," Sirisena said in Parliament.

Drug trafficking is a capital offence in Sri Lanka although no one has been executed for any crime in the country since 1976 as all death penalties have been commuted to life in prison since then.

The last execution in Sri Lanka was 43 years ago.

Sri Lanka's last hangman quit in 2014 without ever having to execute anyone, citing stress after seeing the gallows for the first time. Another hired last year never turned up for work. Anticipating that capital punishment could soon be used again, the prison service is hurrying to recruit two executioners.

During a state visit to the Philippines in January, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/activists-decry-sri-lankan-presidents-praise-for-dutertes-drugs-war-191336">Sirisena had praised President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs</a> triggering an international condemnation&nbsp;from human rights groups.

Duterte's crackdown on drug traffickers has resulted in thousands of people being killed in encounters with police.

According to a report by Reuters, Police killed at least 5,000 suspected drug dealers since 2016, although activists say the number could be far higher and they dispute official accounts that the killings were all in self-defence.

(With inputs from news agencies)

As Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena is pushing for a hardline policy to combat drug trafficking, the country began advertising for hangmen this week in local newspapers.

As Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena is pushing for a hardline policy to combat drug trafficking, the country began advertising for hangmen this week in local newspapers. An advertisement published in the state-run Daily News on Monday put the monthly pay at 36,310 rupees ($203.99), which would be above average for a government job. According to the advertisement, candidates should be Sri Lankan, male, aged between 18 and 45, and have both "excellent moral character" and "mental strength". In a move inspired by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs, Sirisena last week had said that he wants to resume the use of capital punishment for drug traffickers in the next few months "even if there are protests". "On the basis of the reports currently available, we will very likely be able to implement the death penalty in the next few months. I have taken a firm decision to do so, even if there are protests," Sirisena said in Parliament. Drug trafficking is a capital offence in Sri Lanka although no one has been executed for any crime in the country since 1976 as all death penalties have been commuted to life in prison since then. The last execution in Sri Lanka was 43 years ago. Sri Lanka's last hangman quit in 2014 without ever having to execute anyone, citing stress after seeing the gallows for the first time. Another hired last year never turned up for work. Anticipating that capital punishment could soon be used again, the prison service is hurrying to recruit two executioners. During a state visit to the Philippines in January, Sirisena had praised President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs triggering an international condemnation from human rights groups. Duterte's crackdown on drug traffickers has resulted in thousands of people being killed in encounters with police. According to a report by Reuters, Police killed at least 5,000 suspected drug dealers since 2016, although activists say the number could be far higher and they dispute official accounts that the killings were all in self-defence. (With inputs from news agencies)

Sirisena pushes for hardline policy against drug trafficking, Sri Lanka looks for hangmen

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Sri Lanka interviews 47 potential hangmen, Amnesty urges it to not bring back capital punishment

Sirisena pushes for hardline policy against drug trafficking, Sri Lanka looks for hangmen