Teen arrested for spreading hate on social media remanded

The Government placed a temporary ban on access to popular social media websites last week after social media was used to promote hate among Muslims and Buddhists, resulting in mob attacks on Muslim owned property in Kandy. A state of emergency is currently in place and the state of emergency was used to investigate social media accounts.The state of emergency was declared after violence broke out in parts of Kandy last week. Following the ban the authorities began to monitor social media and initiated action on those accused of spreading hate among communities. Radical monks led mobs to attack Muslim owned shops, homes and mosques in the Kandy area after a Sinhalese man attacked by a group of Muslim men last month had died in hospital. (Colombo Gazette) A teenager from a leading school in Colombo, who was arrested for spreading racial hatred on social media, has been remanded.The 18 year old has been remanded till March 26 by the Colombo Magistrates’ Court. read more