Opposition legislator and family protest outside Sri Lanka parliament

A parliamentarian from Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) who is in remand custody staged a protest with his family outside the parliament today.


UNP Kalutara district legislator Palitha Thevarapperuma and his family commenced a protest outside the parliament just before parliamentary sessions commenced at 1.30 p.m. today.
Thevarapperuma and his family are protesting against the alleged ill treatment of the parliamentarian in custody. He also charged that he was detained due to political reasons.
The MP was arrested in December last year for allegedly assaulting a secretary of a government minister. He is also to be produced before the prison court on a charge of unruly behavior at the Kalutara remand prison. Thevarapperuma had allegedly threatened Superintendent of Kalutara Remand Prison, Emil Ranjan Lamahewa.
The UNP leadership meanwhile has lobbied with the government including President Mahinda Rajapaksa to release Thevarapperuma.