The Colombo High Court has granted bail to Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, who was sentenced to nine months in prison for making defamatory remarks about Islam.
This decision came after the court reviewed a revision petition submitted by Gnanasara Thero’s legal team, challenging the sentence and requesting bail while an appeal related to the case is under review.
On January 9, 2025, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court sentenced Gnanasara Thero to nine months of imprisonment for his derogatory statement about Islam. Delivering the verdict, Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena also imposed a fine of Rs. 1,500 on the accused.
The case was filed by the police under Section 291 of the Penal Code, accusing Gnanasara Thero of inciting ethnic disharmony. The charges stemmed from a statement he made at a press conference in Kirulapone on July 16, 2016, where he referred to Islam as “a cancer that must be eradicated.”
Following the court’s order, the appeal process will determine whether the initial sentence stands or is overturned.
