Sri Lanka's president resisted calls from the island's Buddhist hierarchy to release a jailed firebrand monk Monday, even as 518 other convicts were released to mark the island nation's Independence Day.

Galagodaatte Gnanasara has long been accused of instigating hate crimes against minority Muslims in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka.

Since December he has been serving concurrent jail sentences over disruptive behaviour in court and intimidating a woman litigant.

Sri Lanka's Buddhist hierarchy had pressed President Maithripala Sirisena to grant an independence day reprieve but this was rejected.

"The Independence Day amnesty applied to those serving short periods of time and only those convicted for minor offences," prisons spokesman Thusahra Upuldeniya said.&nbsp;

An association of lawyers had warned that releasing Gnanasara would amount to a snub of the judiciary.&nbsp;

The monk has denied involvement in anti-Muslim riots in 2014 that left four people dead.

Gnanasara maintains close ties with Wirathu, an extremist monk based in Myanmar, whose hate speech has stoked religious tensions in that country.

Wirathu visited Sri Lanka as a guest of Gnanasara shortly after the 2014 violence and the duo vowed to fight what they called the threat to Buddhism from Islamic jihadists.

Sri Lanka's president resisted calls from the island's Buddhist hierarchy to release a jailed firebrand monk Monday, even as 518 other convicts were released to mark the island nation's Independence Day.

Sri Lanka's president resisted calls from the island's Buddhist hierarchy to release a jailed firebrand monk Monday, even as 518 other convicts were released to mark the island nation's Independence Day. Galagodaatte Gnanasara has long been accused of instigating hate crimes against minority Muslims in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka. Since December he has been serving concurrent jail sentences over disruptive behaviour in court and intimidating a woman litigant. Sri Lanka's Buddhist hierarchy had pressed President Maithripala Sirisena to grant an independence day reprieve but this was rejected. "The Independence Day amnesty applied to those serving short periods of time and only those convicted for minor offences," prisons spokesman Thusahra Upuldeniya said. An association of lawyers had warned that releasing Gnanasara would amount to a snub of the judiciary. The monk has denied involvement in anti-Muslim riots in 2014 that left four people dead. Gnanasara maintains close ties with Wirathu, an extremist monk based in Myanmar, whose hate speech has stoked religious tensions in that country. Wirathu visited Sri Lanka as a guest of Gnanasara shortly after the 2014 violence and the duo vowed to fight what they called the threat to Buddhism from Islamic jihadists.

Sri Lanka keeps controversial Buddhist monk behind bars

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Friday dismissed the appeal of an ultra-nationalist Buddhist monk and upheld his six-year sentence for contempt of court.

Galagodaatte Gnanasara had appealed over the sentence handed down for disruptive behaviour during a trial in 2016.

The original case had seen the firebrand cleric jailed for six months for intimidating a woman, whose cartoonist husband was abducted by the military.

Gnanasara, who has faced several previous cases on charges of hate crimes against minority Muslims in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, has been in and out of hospital since his imprisonment in June this year.

His Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), or Buddhist Force, has denied allegations it was behind riots against Muslims in 2017 and 2014 that left four people dead.

Gnanasara's intimidation of Sandya Eknaligoda took place when he attended the 2016 trial of military officers accused of abducting her husband Prageeth in 2010, whose cartoons lampooned former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse.&nbsp;

Last year, Gnanasara spent a month on the run as police pursued him in connection with a string of attacks against Muslims. He later surrendered.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Friday dismissed the appeal of an ultra-nationalist Buddhist monk and upheld his six-year sentence for contempt of court. Galagodaatte Gnanasara had appealed over the sentence handed down for disruptive behaviour during a trial in 2016.

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Friday dismissed the appeal of an ultra-nationalist Buddhist monk and upheld his six-year sentence for contempt of court. Galagodaatte Gnanasara had appealed over the sentence handed down for disruptive behaviour during a trial in 2016. The original case had seen the firebrand cleric jailed for six months for intimidating a woman, whose cartoonist husband was abducted by the military. Gnanasara, who has faced several previous cases on charges of hate crimes against minority Muslims in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, has been in and out of hospital since his imprisonment in June this year. His Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), or Buddhist Force, has denied allegations it was behind riots against Muslims in 2017 and 2014 that left four people dead. Gnanasara's intimidation of Sandya Eknaligoda took place when he attended the 2016 trial of military officers accused of abducting her husband Prageeth in 2010, whose cartoons lampooned former strongman president Mahinda Rajapakse. Last year, Gnanasara spent a month on the run as police pursued him in connection with a string of attacks against Muslims. He later surrendered.

Sri Lanka court rejects firebrand monk's appeal

A radical Buddhist monk wanted in connection with a string of hate attacks in Sri Lanka surrendered Wednesday after four weeks on the run, police said.

Galagodaatte Gnanasara gave himself up before a magistrate and was then arrested in connection with arson attacks targeting the island&#39;s minority Muslim community in recent months.

Police spokesman Priyantha Jayakody said he had been released on bail of $8,000 and ordered to refrain from hate speech and inciting violence.

Jayakody said four police teams had been looking for Gnanasara before he turned up in court Wednesday.

Authorities in the Buddhist-majority nation are under international pressure to crack down on a wave of religious violence that has escalated since April, including arson attacks on mosques and Muslim-owned businesses and the desecration of a cemetery.

Gnanasara was not immediately available for comment but his Buddhist Force, or BBS, has denied allegations it was behind the latest&nbsp;unrest.

The original arrest warrant issued for Gnanasara dates back to April 2014, when he was accused of insulting the Koran.

Months later, anti-Muslim riots at the tourist resort of Aluthgama left four people dead and hundreds of Muslim&nbsp;homes destroyed.

The BBS had said their leader was ready to give himself up if he was assured protection, but Jayakody denied there had been a deal allowing him to emerge from hiding.

Police had already arrested 14 people, including a BBS monk, over the latest violence.

They say four of the suspects in custody are close associates of Gnanasara, who went underground on May 26 when police tried to question him.

Gnanasara maintains close ties with Wirathu, an extremist monk in Mandalay whose hate speech has galvanised religious tensions in Myanmar.

Wirathu visited Sri Lanka as a guest of Gnanasara shortly after the 2014 violence.

The government has vowed to protect Muslims and prevent the violence from escalating. Legislators have promised tougher laws against hate speech.

Galagodaatte Gnanasara has been?arrested in connection with arson attacks targeting the minority Muslim community in Sri Lanka in recent months

A radical Buddhist monk wanted in connection with a string of hate attacks in Sri Lanka surrendered Wednesday after four weeks on the run, police said. Galagodaatte Gnanasara gave himself up before a magistrate and was then arrested in connection with arson attacks targeting the island's minority Muslim community in recent months. Police spokesman Priyantha Jayakody said he had been released on bail of $8,000 and ordered to refrain from hate speech and inciting violence. Jayakody said four police teams had been looking for Gnanasara before he turned up in court Wednesday. Authorities in the Buddhist-majority nation are under international pressure to crack down on a wave of religious violence that has escalated since April, including arson attacks on mosques and Muslim-owned businesses and the desecration of a cemetery. Gnanasara was not immediately available for comment but his Buddhist Force, or BBS, has denied allegations it was behind the latest unrest. The original arrest warrant issued for Gnanasara dates back to April 2014, when he was accused of insulting the Koran. Months later, anti-Muslim riots at the tourist resort of Aluthgama left four people dead and hundreds of Muslim homes destroyed. The BBS had said their leader was ready to give himself up if he was assured protection, but Jayakody denied there had been a deal allowing him to emerge from hiding. Police had already arrested 14 people, including a BBS monk, over the latest violence. They say four of the suspects in custody are close associates of Gnanasara, who went underground on May 26 when police tried to question him. Gnanasara maintains close ties with Wirathu, an extremist monk in Mandalay whose hate speech has galvanised religious tensions in Myanmar. Wirathu visited Sri Lanka as a guest of Gnanasara shortly after the 2014 violence. The government has vowed to protect Muslims and prevent the violence from escalating. Legislators have promised tougher laws against hate speech.

Sri Lanka's fugitive monk surrenders