Inter-Parliamentary Union welcomes Bathiudeen’s release

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has welcomed the release of Rishad Bathiudeen on bail following his arrest on the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The IPU in a Tweet on 18 October said: “The IPU is pleased that Sri Lankan Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen was finally released on bail following his arrest on the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The IPU will closely monitor his trial.”

Bathiudeen, a Member of Parliament and Leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress, was arrested by the CID on 24 April under the PTA Act No. 48 of 1979. He was detained for a total of 177 days before he was finally released on bail on 14 October.

Being a Parliamentarian, the case of Bathiudeen had drawn the attention of the IPU. 

The investigations of the IPU are still ongoing and have not been made public. It is likely the IPU would take up the case of arbitrary arrest of Bathiudeen in its upcoming session in November at Madrid, Spain.

The IPU is an international organisation of 179 national Parliaments and 13 regional Parliamentary assemblies from. Having been established in 1889, the primary goal of the IPU has been to promote democratic governance and accountability. It also has permanent observer status in the United Nations General Assembly. 

The IPU has considerable influence in the affairs of the United Nations and has contributed towards numerous resolutions of the General Assembly.