COLOMBO: Ayesha, wife of former minister Rishad Bathiudeen,has appealed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to release her husband who has been arbitrarily arrested and detained under the PTA act.
In a letter addressed to the President , Ayesha pointed out her husband has been a Parliamentarian for 20 years. “ He has been a compassionate Leader particularly in the context of the hardships and afflictions arising from the ethnic conflict. No allegation was ever proven of a connection between him and the Easter attacks. In such circumstances, as Your Excellency would no doubt agree it is unfair to arrest him in such a disgraceful manner without a Court order, without a warrant or the consent of the Speaker. It is equally unfair to arrest him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in such a manner when he had fully cooperated with all investigations on the matter.”
She recalled a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) was appointed to investigate the Easter attacks. “The Joint Opposition of the time also presented a No Confidence Motion against my husband placing 10 allegations. The issue claimed to be under investigation today is one of those allegations. All allegations were investigated, and again my husband was exonerated of all charges,: she stressed.
“A Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) was also appointed by former President Maithripala Sirisena, comprising of 5 members under the Chairmanship of Justice Janaka de Silva. My husband and his brother appeared before the Commission. Attorney-at-Law Sameera Silva was authorized on behalf of His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith to question my husband and his brother. After a lengthy investigation, upon the conclusion of the report, no charges were framed against my husband,” she concluded.
