The foreign travel ban imposed on ex-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka was lifted on Wednesday.
Colombia:
The foreign travel ban imposed on former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in relation to the May 9, 2022 clashes was lifted by a Sri Lankan court on Wednesday, the Lankan news organization News First reported.
In addition to Rajapaksa, the travel ban against Member of Parliament Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and ex-Provincial Councilor Kanchana Jayaratne was also fully lifted by the Fort Magistrate’s Court.
The ban was imposed on Rajapaksa and others in view of investigations into their alleged involvement in the deadly attack on peaceful anti-government protesters in Colombo on May 9, 2022.
President’s Counsel Shavendra Fernando asked the court to ease travel restrictions on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and former Provincial Councilor Kanchana Jayaratne, citing that none of them had been listed as suspects in the investigation, News reported. First.
After hearing the argument, the magistrate issued an order to lift the travel ban and designated the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration as the recipient of the said order.
However, the travel ban for two others, including MP Milan Jayathilake, the fourth accused in the case, was extended until the next hearing date.
The magistrate further ordered that Hewagamage Manjula, Ramesh Bhanuka, Chamath Thivanka and Nishantha De Mel, previously released on bail, be released from the case, according to Sri Lanka-based News First.
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court had previously issued a preliminary injunction barring them from leaving the country without court approval until August 11.
A plea was submitted to the Supreme Court for an overseas travel ban for Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa and former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Colombo Gazette reported.
The plea seeks to conduct an investigation against those responsible for the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, in line with a fundamental rights appeal filed with the Supreme Court.
On July 22, 2022, a large military group, along with the police, launched a raid near the Presidential Secretariat and the protest site at Galle Face to clear the area of protesters. Several arrests were made.
As many Sri Lankans experienced extreme shortages of essential supplies, including food and fuel, peaceful protests began in March. The demonstrations prompted then-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign on May 9, and his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to flee the country on July 13 and resign the following day.
Wickremasinghe became acting president and parliament elected him the new president on 20 July with the support of the political party of the Rajapaksas, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.
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