**The Sri Lankan monk's conviction highlights ongoing issues of religious intolerance and legal accountability in the country.**
**Sri Lankan Monk Sentenced for Inciting Religious Hatred**
**Sri Lankan Monk Sentenced for Inciting Religious Hatred**
**Galagodaatte Gnanasara, a controversial figure, faces prison for anti-Islam comments amid rising ethnic tensions.**
A hardline Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, Galagodaatte Gnanasara, has been sentenced to nine months in prison after being found guilty of making derogatory remarks about Islam that incited religious hatred. The Colombo Magistrate's Court delivered the ruling on Thursday, relating to comments made during a media conference back in 2016.
This sentencing is significant, as Sri Lanka seldom prosecutes Buddhist monks, making this case a notable exception. It marks Gnanasara's second conviction for similar hate speech, following a previous criminal case that led to his imprisonment. He had been convicted in 2018 for contempt of court and intimidating a political cartoonist's wife—a case that garnered attention for its implications on freedom of speech and political dissent.
Despite receiving a presidential pardon for an earlier six-year sentence in 2019, Gnanasara's legal troubles have persisted. His comments at the 2016 conference were deemed to contravene constitutional protections for religious freedom, underscoring the court's stance that all citizens deserve the right to practice their beliefs without fear of backlash.
In addition to his prison term, Gnanasara has been ordered to pay a fine of 1,500 Sri Lankan rupees (approximately $5). The court warned that failing to pay could lead to an extended sentence. Following the ruling, his legal team indicated plans to file an appeal, which the court subsequently denied by refusing their request for bail during the appeal process.
Gnanasara has long been a divisive figure in Sri Lankan politics, closely aligned with former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose tenure ended amid widespread protests over the country’s tumultuous economic situation. His leadership of a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist organization and his role in a presidential task force aimed at fostering religious harmony have drawn scrutiny, especially following his earlier incarceration for hate speech against Muslims.
As the legal landscape regarding religious expressions continues to evolve in Sri Lanka, the implications of Gnanasara's conviction may reverberate throughout the nation, highlighting the tensions between different religious communities and the challenges of maintaining a secular public discourse.
