Posing for photos insulting Buddhism:

Suspended RI for three tourists

Mahinda P.Liyanage- Galle Daily News Corr

Galle chief Magistrate U.S.Kalansuriya on Tuesday sentenced three French tourists to six months rigorous imprisonment suspended for five years and fined Rs 1,500 each when they were found guilty of taking photographs with Buddha statues in an offensive manner at Embekka Davale in Kandy.

The three tourists, two women and one man holidaying at Mirissa, Matara had visited the Ambekke Devale last week.

They had posed for photographs in an abusive manner kissing and embracing Buddha statues.

On return from the tour, they had gone to a photo laboratory in Galle to get the photographs printed. The laboratory manager observing the pictures to be insulting Buddhism had informed Galle Police who arrested them together with the indecent photographs and prosecuted before the Galle Chief Magistrate. Considering an appeal made by the defence lawyer, the Galle Chief Magistrate ordered Police to return the cameras and passports and to destroy the foul photographs.