Legal amendments to crackdown on hate speech
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to amend the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code in order to include laws to crackdown on hate speech.
The amendments are being introduced following a request submitted by the Ministry of Justice and Prison Reforms, to the Steering Committee on National Security.
Accordingly Cabinet approved amendments to the Penal and Criminal Procedure codes, to facilitate fines or prison sentences being imposed for persons found guilty of hate speech.
The relevant Cabinet paper in this regard was presented by the Acting Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms Ranjith Madduma Bandara.