The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (10 Jan.) further remanded YouTuber Sepal Amarasinghe until 17 January.

Amarasinghe was remanded until today on 06 January, on orders of Colombo Additional Magistrate Tharanga Mahawatta, over the recent controversial statements he made about the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, commonly known as the ‘Sri Dalada Maligawa’.

He was arrested in Bellanwila by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 05 January after the public complaints division of the CID commenced probes into the matter.

Investigations into the matter commenced when the Inspector General of Police (IGP) C. D. Wickramaratne received several written complaints in this regard.

Meanwhile, the chief prelates of Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters, Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thero and Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thero also wrote to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, raising concerns about the offensive statements made by Amarasinghe, and urged the government to take necessary measures to nip the matter in the bud.

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe also vowed legal action against Amarasinghe, stressing that the religious harmony in the country cannot be allowed to be disrupted.

Pursuant to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act, No. 56 of 2007, propagating war or advocating national, racial, or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence is a punishable offense with rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years.