The spread of hate messages and false information on the Internet should be punished in Sri Lanka according to the will of the local government in the future with up to five years imprisonment and heavy fines. In response to the increase in false information and libel in the social networks since the heavy terrorist attacks on churches at Easter, the Cabinet yesterday approved a bill by the Justice Minister.
A definition for the two offenses the government did not present so far. However, it announced that it would adapt the penal code accordingly. In addition to the imminent imprisonment of fines of up to one million rupees (5,076 euros) was mentioned. In attacks on three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka, 258 people were killed and nearly 500 others injured on 11 April. The attackers had become the jihadist militia Islamic State (IS) known.
After the attacks, the Colombo government blocked Internet platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for nine days. Again and again, the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe accuses groups of using social media to hate the already tense atmosphere between the various groups in the country with hate messages.
