{"id":1191,"date":"2026-05-31T01:09:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T01:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asianewscast.com\/2026\/05\/31\/senior-sri-lankan-monk-suspended-over-child-sex-abuse-allegation\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T01:09:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T01:09:16","slug":"senior-sri-lankan-monk-suspended-over-child-sex-abuse-allegation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asianewscast.com\/?p=1191","title":{"rendered":"Senior Sri Lankan monk suspended over child sex abuse allegation"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__divider\">\n<div class=\"listen-to-article\"><button class=\"listen-to-article__button\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><title>Listen<\/title>Listen (2 mins)<\/button><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share__update-reading-list-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"update-reading-list\">\n<p class=\"update-reading-list__button-text\">Save<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"screen-reader-text\">Click here to share on social media<\/div>\n<p><title>share-nodes<\/title><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<div class=\"rich-share__links rich-share__links--row\" data-testid=\"share-links\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__social rich-share__social--row\"><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Frufk3i\"><title>facebook<\/title><\/a><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Senior%20Sri%20Lankan%20monk%20suspended%20over%20child%20sex%20abuse%20allegation&amp;source=sharethiscom&amp;related=sharethis&amp;via=AJEnglish&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Frufk3i\"><title>x<\/title><\/a><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row u-hidden--desktop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Whatsapp\" href=\"\/\/send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Frufk3i\"><title>whatsapp-stroke<\/title><\/a><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row copylink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Copy link\" href=\"https:\/\/aje.news\/rufk3i\"><title>copylink<\/title><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"google-preferred-source\"><button class=\"google-preferred-source__button\" aria-label=\"Add Al Jazeera on Google\" data-testid=\"google-preferred-source-button\"><title>google<\/title><span class=\"google-preferred-source__text\">Add Al Jazeera on Google<\/span><\/button><button aria-label=\"See more of Al Jazeera\u2019s trusted journalism by adding us as a preferred source on Google.\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><title>info<\/title><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"article-featured-image\">\n<div class=\"responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AFP__20260509__B2BV2NQ__v1__HighRes__FilesSriLankaBuddhismChildrenArrest-1778323721.jpg?resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Sri Lankan authorities arrested senior Buddhist monk Pallegama Hemarathana for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor girl.\"><\/div><figcaption>Sri Lankan authorities arrested senior Buddhist monk Pallegama Hemarathana for the alleged sexual abuse of a young girl [File: Ishara S. Kodikara\/AFP]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"article-info m--t-20 m--desktop-b-30 m--b-mobile-20\">\n<div class=\"byline byline--single-avatar\">\n<div class=\"avatars-container\"><a class=\"avatar\" aria-hidden=\"true\" href=\"\/author\/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2017-06-08T131939Z_1189275883_RC11B0FE7F20_RTRMADP_3_GULF-QATAR-JAZEERA-1714943623.jpg?resize=96%2C96&amp;quality=80\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-content\">\n<div class=\"contributors-list contributors-list--byline\"><span class=\"contributors-list__by-prefix\">By <\/span><a href=\"\/author\/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458\">Al Jazeera Staff<\/a> and <!-- -->AFP<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<div class=\"date-simple\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 30 May 2026<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">30 May 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wysiwyg wysiwyg--all-content\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p>Sri Lanka\u2019s Buddhist hierarchy has suspended a prominent senior monk accused of sexually abusing a child, in the religiously conservative nation\u2019s highest-profile case involving a local clergyman.<\/p>\n<p>In rare disciplinary action, 71-year-old Pallegama Hemarathana was stripped of his responsibilities on Saturday as the chief custodian of a highly venerated Ficus plant grown from a sapling of a tree believed to have sheltered the Buddha.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 3 items<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"more-on__list\">\n<li class=\"more-on__article\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list 1 of 3<\/span><a class=\"more-on__link\" href=\"\/news\/2026\/5\/2\/nepal-celebrates-return-of-stolen-13th-century-buddha-statue-from-new-york\">Nepal celebrates return of stolen 13th-century Buddha statue from New York<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"more-on__article\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list 2 of 3<\/span><a class=\"more-on__link\" href=\"\/sports\/2026\/4\/29\/sri-lanka-cricket-board-quits-at-governments-request-officials\">Sri Lanka\u2019s government \u2018temporarily\u2019 takes over cricket board<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"more-on__article\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list 3 of 3<\/span><a class=\"more-on__link\" href=\"\/features\/2026\/3\/27\/sri-lanka-braces-for-new-economic-crisis-as-war-on-iran-continues\">Sri Lanka braces for new economic crisis as war on Iran continues<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>\u201cThe Council of Monks of the Malwatte Chapter decided today to suspend Ven. Hemarathana until the conclusion of the legal proceedings against him,\u201d said a statement issued by the chief priests.<\/p>\n<p>Police <a href=\"\/news\/2026\/5\/9\/senior-sri-lankan-monk-arrested-for-alleged-child-sex-crimes\">arrested Hemarathana<\/a> on May 9 following allegations he sexually abused an 11-year-old girl in 2022 at the venerated Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple in Anuradhapura, 200km (125 miles) north of Colombo. Hemarathana was detained during his stay at a private hospital in the capital Colombo, where he had checked in for treatment as the criminal investigation progressed.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities said the victim\u2019s mother had also been arrested for aiding and abetting the monk.<\/p>\n<p>Hemarathana has since been granted bail while a court has barred him from travelling abroad.<\/p>\n<p>The temple draws thousands of people daily who pay homage at the tree Buddhists believe is closely connected to the same Ficus that sheltered the Buddha when he attained enlightenment.<\/p>\n<p>Hemarathana\u2019s suspension came on the same day Sri Lanka celebrated Vesak, the anniversary of the Buddha\u2019s birth, enlightenment and death.<\/p>\n<div class=\"container--ads in-article-ads\">\n<div class=\"ads\"><span class=\"ads__title\"> Advertisement <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>There have been several cases of clergy abusing children in Sri Lanka, but Hemarathana is the most senior monk to be accused of such a crime.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, 22 monks were arrested at Colombo\u2019s international airport after 110kg (242lbs) of cannabis was found hidden in their bags, in what was the biggest drug smuggling discovery ever in the facility. The monks have remained in custody pending prosecution, but have not been suspended from the priesthood.<\/p>\n<div style=\"display:block;position:relative;min-width:0px;max-width:770px\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ListenListen (2 mins) Save Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share facebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylink googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Sri Lankan authorities arrested senior Buddhist monk Pallegama Hemarathana for the alleged sexual abuse of a young girl [File: Ishara S. Kodikara\/AFP] By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP Published On 30 May 202630 May 2026 Sri [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1193,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Senior Sri Lankan monk suspended over child sex abuse allegation - Asia Newscast<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.asianewscast.com\/?p=1191\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Senior Sri Lankan monk suspended over child sex abuse allegation - Asia Newscast\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"ListenListen (2 mins) Save Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share facebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylink googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Sri Lankan authorities arrested senior Buddhist monk Pallegama Hemarathana for the alleged sexual abuse of a young girl [File: Ishara S. 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