Joint Civil Society Statement on Amendment to Penal Code Criminalizing Hate Speech

(Symbol  of anti-Muslim hate speech in Sri Lanka: BBS Gnanasara)

15/12/2015

We the under signed organizations and individuals are deeply concerned about two Bills tabled in Parliament on Friday, 11th December 2015 ostensibly to criminalize hate speech and the instigation of communal violence and disharmony. One such Bill tabled is an amendment to the Penal Code which creates the new offence of “causing of or instigating acts of violence, hostility…” which is punishable by imprisonment of up to two years. The other Bill is an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure which provides for the conditions necessary for the initiation of prosecutions for the new offence.

Joint Civil Society Statement on Amendment to Penal Code Criminalizing Hate Speech by Thavam Ratna