Buddhist monk gets 4-year jail for insulting Muslims in Sri Lanka

An firebrand Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka was sentenced to four years in jail by a court on March 28 for inciting sectarian hatred against the island’s minority Muslim community.

The Colombo High Court found Galagodaatte Gnanasara guilty of causing harm to Muslims by making derogatory remarks about Islam during a press conference in 2016.

A court official confirmed the verdict, stating that Gnanasara was also fined $330 and immediately taken into custody to serve his sentence.

Gnanasara, known for his close association with Wirathu, an extremist monk from Myanmar, has faced allegations of instigating violence against Muslims in Sri Lanka, where about 10% of the population follows Islam.