Is homosexuality legal in Sri Lanka?

Same-sex relations are still technically illegal in Sri Lanka under Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code, laws that go back to British colonial rule. Still, in everyday practice, these rules seem mostly asleep; they are not really being used against consenting adults, in particular not against tourists.

The legal situation is in motion, though, with ongoing legislative pushes and civil society pressure for decriminalisation. The Sri Lankan Supreme Court has also mentioned that these outdated provisions should not be used to prosecute adult, consenting relationships. So even if the wording stays in the legal books, it creates very little real-world risk for visiting foreigners.