• 38 monks are convicts and suspects over child sexual abuse, rape, murder, fraud, treasure hunting
• 3 Hindu priests and a Catholic priest in prison over same, no Islamic clergymen involved    

The number of Buddhist monks imprisoned are significantly high, compared to other religious figures who are in prison as convicts and suspects for various charges such as child abuse, rape, and murder, the State Ministry of Justice and Prisons Affairs said.

An Opposition Parliamentarian had requested data on religious figures who are in prisons as convicts and suspects for various charges. Responding to that question, the State Minister of Justice and Prisons Affairs Anuradha Jayaratne presented the relevant data as of 1 June of this year (2023) to the Parliament yesterday (8). The data presented by Jayaratne revealed that a total of 38 Buddhist monks are in prisons as convicts and suspects for charges including child abuse (23), rape (four), murder (three), financial frauds (two), treasure hunting (three), grave sexual abuse (two), and the rape of a minor girl (one). A total of three Hindu priests are in prisons as convicts and suspects for the charges of child abuse, murder and financial frauds. One Catholic priest is in prison as a suspect for murder charges while no Islamic clergyman is in prison for any of the said charges.

Cases of religious priests, especially Buddhist monks, being accused of child abuse and various other crimes are regularly reported. Against that backdrop, there has been a lot of talk recently about the introduction of new laws and regulations regarding their discipline. Several parties including prominent Buddhist monks themselves have even called on the Chief Prelates (Mahanayakas) of the main Buddhist Sects to pay attention to the matter, and to ensure that necessary actions are taken against monks who commit various crimes.

Meanwhile, the Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Sect recently stated that there is no possibility of taking disciplinary action against the Buddhist monks involved in incidents such as child abuse until it is confirmed through court proceedings that they are guilty, but that all Buddhist Sects would provide full support to enforce the law against such monks. A representative of the said Chapter said that they always advise the relevant authorities to introduce new laws to prevent such incidents, and to initiate legal action against individuals who commit such offences as per the existing legal provisions.