brand logo

Rishad’s wife writes to President

04 May 2021

  • Claims arrest arbitrary and requests release
  Ayesha Bathiudeen, the spouse of All Ceylon Makkal Congress Leader and Opposition parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen, yesterday (3) wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa claiming that her husband’s arrest was arbitrary. Rishad Bathiudeen is presently arrested and detained for 90 days by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act in connection with his alleged involvement in the Easter Sunday terror attacks. His spouse stated in the letter to the President that the CID had descended on their house in the month of Ramadan and that Rishad Bathiudeen had no information about the grounds on which he was arrested while the Police claim it was for aiding and abetting and financing terrorism. She also stated that no matters regarding the Colossus copper company and exports had been discussed between Rishad Bathiudeen and one Balasubramaniyam during the phone calls on 27 and 28 March 2019. “Since the Easter Sunday bombings, my husband has vehemently condemned the terrorists and the bombings. However, when fingers were pointed at him, he resigned with dignity and fully co-operated in the investigations,” she stated. She also pointed out that while several warnings were issued about the terrorist group behind the Easter Sunday attacks, the Government at the time did not respond to it. She alleged that her husband had no part in it and strongly condemned all the reasons stated by one of the Easter Sunday attacks masterminds, Zahran Hashim, as to why the attacks had taken place. She therefore urged the President to consider the facts with the Attorney General and order the release of Rishad Bathiudeen and his brother Riyaj Bathiudeen, who was also arrested and detained in this connection, following any necessary investigations.


More News..