16. Deliberate and malicious communication of false statement to outrage religious feelings

Any person, whether in or outside Sri Lanka who with the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of persons by way of an online account or through an online location by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class by communicating a false statement, commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding three years, or to a fine not exceeding three hundred thousand rupees or to both such imprisonment and fine.