Henry Pedris

Duenuge Edward Henry Pedris (Sinhala: හෙන්රි පේද්රිස්; 16 August 1888 – 7 July 1915) was a militia officer and a prominent socialite in colonial Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) who was executed by British officials for allegedly inciting race riots in 1915, a charge which was later proven false. His execution at a young age was viewed as unjust by the Sri Lankan public, hastening the movement toward independence and providing motivation and a martyr for those who pioneered the movement.

Henry Pedris

Duenuge Edward Henry Pedris (Sinhala: හෙන්රි පේද්රිස්; 16 August 1888 – 7 July 1915) was a militia officer and a prominent socialite in colonial Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) who was executed by British officials for allegedly inciting race riots in 1915, a charge which was later proven false. His execution at a young age was viewed as unjust by the Sri Lankan public, hastening the movement toward independence and providing motivation and a martyr for those who pioneered the movement.