Overseas travel ban lifted on Pastor Jerome

The overseas travel ban imposed on Pastor Jerome Fernando has been temporarily lifted by the court. 

The order was issued when the case filed against Fernando was taken up before the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court today (03).

A request had been made to the court stating that the defendant is required to travel to several foreign countries and after taking the facts presented in this regard into consideration, the court has temporarily lifted the foreign travel ban subject to previous bail conditions.

The court had previously imposed an overseas travel ban on Pastor Jerome Fernando in connection with the case filed against him for allegedly making derogatory statements about other religions in May last year.

The controversial pastor was arrested on 01 December 2023 after a video of one of his sermons, containing alleged derogatory statements on other religions, went viral on social media. After months of controversy over his remarks, Fernando had finally returned to the island on Wednesday morning (29 Nov.).

Pastor Jerome had initially provided a statement to the CID on 30 November for around eight hours. This was after the Court of Appeal issued an interim order on 17 November, directing the CID not to arrest him upon his arrival in Sri Lanka. The order also mandated Pastor Fernando to record a statement with the CID’s Cyber Crime Investigation Division within 48 hours of his return.

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court granted bail to the self-styled ‘prophet’ Jerome Fernando on 03 January 2024. Despite being granted bail, the court imposed travel restrictions on Pastor Jerome, prohibiting him from leaving the country, and the strict condition that he refrain from making any such statements in the future that could disturb religious harmony.