Suspect who spread hate speech on FB re-remanded

20 March 2018 07:06 pm

Krishan Srinath Perera, arrested on charges of sharing Facebook posts on hate speech and racism in connection with the recent communal clashes, was yesterday further remanded till April 3 by Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

The CID informed Court that the suspect, a resident of Gampaha district had shared hate speech through his Facebook page. He was arrested on March 17.

However, the defense counsel said this particular page had been created by an unknown group using his client’s name.

The CID said in case it was a page created by somebody else then it was the suspect’s responsibility to complain to the Police or the relevant authorities about it. The CID said its investigations had revealed that it was the suspect who had maintained the particular Facebook page. It informed Court that charges had been filed under the Civil and Political Rights Act and as such the Magistrate's Court had no powers to grant bail for offences coming under this act.

The Court refused the bail application and directed the CID to obtain a comprehensive report from the Facebook Company about the particular page and present it on the next hearing date. (Yoshitha Perera)