COLOMBO ; Aggrieved over the statement made in the Sathya Vlogs, former governor and leader of the National Unity Alliance Azath Salley has complained to the
The Director,Computer Crimes Branch,Criminal Investigations Department of the Sri Lanka Police and has requested early action action against the speaker.
” I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of utmost concern that pertains to a recent incident involving a YouTube channel named ‘Sathya Vlogs.’ The National Unity Alliance (NUA), an organization committed to fostering unity and harmony among Sri Lankans, wishes to formally register a complaint against the aforementioned channel.
On the 29th of September 2023, ‘Sathya Vlogs’ posted a video containing explicit hate speech directed towards the religion of Islam, its followers, and the esteemed Prophet Muhammad. This video, viewed by a considerable number of individuals due to the channel’s substantial subscriber base of approximately 133,000, is not only offensive but also poses a grave threat to communal harmony and peace in our society.
We, as NUA, believe that this act not only violates the principles of respect for religious diversity but also contravenes the fundamental right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion enshrined in Article 10 of the Sri Lankan Constitution. This freedom is a cornerstone of our democratic society but must be exercised responsibly and within the limits prescribed by law.
Our organisation firmly believes that such actions can undermine the hard-earned unity and harmony among the diverse communities in Sri Lanka, especially considering our recent history marked by ethnic violence and conflict. Therefore, it is imperative that appropriate legal actions are taken to address this issue promptly and effectively.
Therefore, I kindly request that the Computer Crimes Branch of the Sri Lanka Police thoroughly investigate this matter. We seek justice for the affected community and hope to send a strong message that hate speech, regardless of its medium, will not be tolerated in our society, as it infringes upon the constitutional rights and freedoms of our citizens.
We are willing to cooperate fully with your esteemed department in any manner necessary to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for this reprehensible act. It is our hope that by taking swift and decisive action, we can deter others from engaging in similar behavior and contribute to the preservation of our nation’s unity.”
