The Colombo High Court has upheld the prison sentence imposed on Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, dismissing his appeal seeking to overturn his conviction.
Colombo High Court Judge Manjula Thilakaratne rejected the appeal and confirmed the decision previously delivered by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
The case was filed by police under provisions of the Penal Code, alleging that Gnanasara Thera made statements considered insulting to Islam and harmful to ethnic and religious harmony.
After a lengthy trial, the Magistrate’s Court found the monk guilty of the charges and imposed a prison sentence.
The High Court ruling means both the conviction and the sentence issued by the lower court remain in effect.
The decision marks the latest development in a case that has drawn attention due to its links with religious harmony and freedom of expression issues in Sri Lanka.
