Sri Lankan Monk Sentenced for Inciting Religious Hatred Returns to Controversy

Galagodaatte Gnanasara, a controversial figure in Sri Lanka’s Buddhist nationalist movement, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for making inflammatory statements against Islam. This legal action, stemming from a 2016 media conference, highlights ongoing tensions within Sri Lanka's religious communities and the challenges of addressing hate speech in the country.

A hardline Buddhist monk, Galagodaatte Gnanasara, closely associated with ousted former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for inciting religious hatred against Islam. The Colombo Magistrate's Court delivered this ruling on Thursday, rekindling debates over religious tolerance in Sri Lanka. Notably, this sentence comes after a previous record of Gnanasara engaging in hate speech, which rarely results in convictions for Buddhist monks.

The charges against Gnanasara stem from remarks made during a media conference in 2016. His conviction, particularly alarming given the country's sensitive religious landscape, reaffirms the principle set forth by the court that all citizens, irrespective of their faith, are entitled to religious freedom as outlined in Sri Lanka's Constitution. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to pay a fine of 1,500 Sri Lankan rupees (approximately $5), with failure to comply leading to an extended month in jail. Gnanasara has since filed an appeal against his sentence.

This recent development marks a significant moment, as it is the second time Gnanasara has faced jail time for actions deemed as hate crimes and anti-Muslim violence. After a presidential pardon in 2019 for a previous sentence related to intimidation and contempt, this latest conviction raises questions about the ongoing political affiliations formed during Rajapaksa's presidency.

During his tenure, Gnanasara was appointed to lead a legal reform task force aimed at safeguarding religious harmony, although his actions often contradicted this mission. Last year, following Rajapaksa's resignation amidst widespread protests against his administration and the country's economic crisis, Gnanasara was jailed again on similar hate speech charges but later granted bail while appealing a four-year sentence.

Gnanasara's influence and actions have drawn international attention to the challenges of addressing hate speech within Sri Lanka, leading to greater scrutiny on how religious tensions are managed in a nation grappling with its diverse cultural identities. His legacy thus remains marred by repeated incidents of instigating discord in a country still healing from past communal strife.