Bodu Bala Sena's Gnanasara Thera Sentenced to Nine Months for Insulting Islam
Colombo, Sri Lanka – January 9, 2025: Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), has been sentenced to nine months of simple imprisonment by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court for insulting the religion of Islam. In addition to the prison term, Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena imposed a fine of Rs. 1,500.
The sentencing follows an arrest warrant issued on December 19, 2024, after Gnanasara Thera failed to appear in court for the verdict, citing ill health. The case involved allegations of defaming Islam, with the verdict postponed to January 9, 2025, to ensure his presence.
Gnanasara Thera is a controversial figure with a history of inflammatory remarks against minority communities in Sri Lanka. In March 2024, he was sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs. 100,000 by the Colombo High Court for anti-Muslim remarks made during a 2016 press conference. The court found his statements intentionally provoked religious animosity.
In 2018, he was sentenced to six years of rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court after disrupting a hearing related to the abduction of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.
His actions have been linked to several incidents of religious and ethnic tension in Sri Lanka, including the 2014 Aluthgama riots, where his speeches were seen as inciting violence against the Muslim community.
The recent sentencing underscores the Sri Lankan judiciary's stance against actions that incite religious hatred and disturb communal harmony. It also highlights the ongoing challenges the country faces in addressing hate speech and promoting religious tolerance.
0 Comments