Swiss govt criticises lack of due process

16 December 2019 11:35 pm - 34 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has criticised lack of due process in the case against a local employee of the Swiss Embassy in Sri Lanka. “The FDFA expects the Sri Lankan law enforcement authorities to comply with national law and international judicial standards and to ensure that the employee's rights are now better protected,” the FDFA said in a statement today.

“The FDFA has repeatedly called for due process to be followed. In particular, the FDFA has criticised the 30-hour interrogation to which the employee was subjected over three days despite being in poor health and the public statements by senior Sri Lankan officials questioning her account before the investigations had been completed.”

Full statement
An employee of the Swiss Embassy in Colombo has today been detained on the grounds that she allegedly made false statements. The FDFA is concerned about this development and calls on the Sri Lankan judicial authorities to ensure better protection of its employee's personal rights in any further proceedings and compliance with national law and international standards. The FDFA and the Swiss Embassy in Colombo will continue to meet their responsibilities as an employer and do everything in their power to assist the member of staff concerned.

On 25 November 2019, the local employee of the Swiss Embassy reported that she had been abducted in Colombo to force her to disclose embassy-related information. Both the victim and the Swiss embassy cooperated fully with the Sri Lankan authorities during the proceedings. The FDFA has repeatedly called for due process to be followed. In particular, the FDFA has criticised the 30-hour interrogation to which the employee was subjected over three days despite being in poor health and the public statements by senior Sri Lankan officials questioning her account before the investigations had been completed.

Following the arrest of its employee, the FDFA expects the Sri Lankan law enforcement authorities to comply with national law and international judicial standards and to ensure that the employee's rights are now better protected. As an employer, the FDFA calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to meet their obligations under applicable law and give due consideration to the employee's poor state of health. Switzerland wishes to emphasise that in this high-profile case Sri Lanka's reputation as a country that upholds the rule of law is at stake. The FDFA and the Swiss Embassy in Colombo will continue to support their employee as far as possible.

The FDFA has reiterated to the Sri Lankan authorities that it is seeking a common and constructive way forward to resolve the security incident. On 16 December 2019, the Swiss ambassador in Colombo emphasised this again in a face-to-face meeting with Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapakse

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Comments - 34

Neville Tuesday, 17 December 2019 09:39 AM

What is the lack of due process they are talking about. They tried to smuggle her out of the country without any courtesy towards the government.

Neville Tuesday, 17 December 2019 09:41 AM

Seeking a common and constructive way forward.... What bullshit ? they tried to smuggle her without any intimation to the government.

Neville Tuesday, 17 December 2019 09:57 AM

What we feel is that she tried to migrate to Switzerland at embassy's cost creating an uproar of being kidnapped. Embassy is taken for a ride by their own employee.

Neville Tuesday, 17 December 2019 09:59 AM

Before she became an employee of the Swiss Embassy, she is a citizen of this country, a fact which has to be recognized by the employee and the employer in this case.

Chandu Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:04 AM

Government never interfered with the legal process lets wait and see. Our procedure is fine its that Swiss Foreign affairs ministry does not like it They can not meddle with our internal affairs

Sokrates Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:09 AM

Perfidious, cynical, insidious, vengeful, cruel and inhuman. That is the real face of the new Rajapaksa regime.

Irshad Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:15 AM

The incident was fabricated and that is a fact, if the Swiss government is looking for a blind eye by this government. They are highly mistaken.

Dilip Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:16 AM

Sri Lankan officials brain washed her. Even grade 1 student will accept this.

Dharma Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:17 AM

What do you mean by-seeking a common and constructive way forward to resolve the security incident-it is crystal clear Swiss government speak with two tongues.Ambassador failed to elicit truth from local employee.Ambassador should have verified allegation before meeting prime minister.

Palitha Perera Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:22 AM

Due procedure of our Judicial Institutions will definitely be straight forward and transparent than your VISA granting procedure. shame on you.

Sam Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:46 AM

The Swiss embassy is responsible for blowing this incident out of proportion and descredit government and its people. Why they did not cooperate with the authorities early on and harber the allege so colled victim in their embassy premises obstructing the countries law authorities to follow the due process?

Single Hock Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:46 AM

Sri Lanka Govt should also warn Swiss Govt that their embassy should follow international standards and protocols and Vienna Convention in resolving this issue.

Lion Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:50 AM

If this is not tackled properly Srilanka will have to pay a very high price for its own mistake. Ultimate looser will be Srilankans

Nilanga De Silva Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:55 AM

"Lack of Due Process" is a sign of a third world under developed country. This is one of the reasons why most Sri Lankans are trying to leave Sri Lanka for a better life in a Developed country.

C.K.Lankaputhra Tuesday, 17 December 2019 10:57 AM

Sro Lanka has imported a 40 ft. container of foreign shit through the Swiss embasy.

Baba Talk Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:10 AM

Swiss human smuggling racket is now exposed

Roger Haĺliday Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:11 AM

Can someone in authority give the true story behind this kidnapping. The Swiss are not pleased with the investigations. Is someone trying to fool the people.

CHULANI Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:28 AM

Switzerland started this event..........now putting the blame on Sri Lanka.....

B.K.Jayasundera Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:30 AM

It is apparent that the Swiss govt is trying to implement a plot planned by them to topple the government of Sri Lanka .Ask the ambassador to go home.

Baba Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:35 AM

The tone is appalling. A master dictates to a poor man!. Need not to reply but do things openly. May be Switzerland get exposed at the end. Then we can find good words for a statement

charith seneviratne Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:35 AM

The reputation of Switzerland is at stake. There is nothing for the Swiss to criticize. The lies and contradictions are plain to see and also the technical data obtained is plain to see. So do not try to cover up but accept the bungling and at least now try to be genuinely neutral and clean.

Nihal Amarasekera Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:42 AM

Connivance in the whole episode???

Sarath Bulathsinghala Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:44 AM

What is at stake is the reputation of the Swiss Embassy in Sri Lanka and not that of the Sri Lankan government. It is the Swiss Embassy who made the first complaint and held the complainant incommunicado for a number of days without allowing her to give a statement to the Sri Lankan authorities. For a few days, it was a catch-22 situation! They were even ready to send her to Switzerland in an ambulance plane without giving a statement. It is now more than clear to the ordinary reader that this whole thing has been a red herring to cover up the Nishantha de Silva Candappa's sneaking off to Switzerland with his family unlawfully.

Asela Abeysinghe Tuesday, 17 December 2019 11:54 AM

Swizz diplomats are doing the damage control now. How could Swizz embassy allow IP Nishantha to get visa without having proper leave approval from CID? Isn't it showing a LACK or DUE PROCESS at embassy end...

Palitha Tuesday, 17 December 2019 01:31 PM

It may be that the process was more efficient than expected, proving the duplicity of their employee with the funny name

Shehan Jayawardane Tuesday, 17 December 2019 03:46 PM

'Swiss govt criticises lack of due process'. should have been said in front of a mirror else, my foot big time. why everyone has been still so nice to these shameless, trashy hypocrites. expel, period.

Hautaum Tuesday, 17 December 2019 03:58 PM

hers intentions was't found, Hon Prez, locks speculations than fact n let her free as faith of law and order

Sri Lankan Tuesday, 17 December 2019 04:43 PM

Everything has a price in SL, including lies, I honestly feel this poor Swiss employees' life is in danger.

Nirmal Tuesday, 17 December 2019 05:00 PM

It is Switzerland who did not follow the due process

suren Tuesday, 17 December 2019 07:34 PM

It was disgusting how a swiss male was hugging the woman taking to courts.What has she doing in their premises,one wonders.

Baron Baaron Wednesday, 18 December 2019 11:56 PM

SWISS embassy officials having orchestrated the "fake abduction" are now trying to distract the international community from it by painting the SL govt. with "Lack of due process". What was the "Due process" they followed in granting political asylum to Nishantha Kandappa and family, hoping to manipulate him against SL govt. at UNHCR hearing in Geneva? The SL govt. must never back down and expose this Swiss plot to bring disrepute to SriLanka.

Weera Sankili Friday, 20 December 2019 07:54 AM

I would like to stand in the the lucky Swiss Embassy's employee's shoes. At least I can leave this wretched country for good, at long last.

WRD Dhanapala Friday, 20 December 2019 08:53 AM

This is serious. We will be ending up with lot of costs and compensation. They are bringing Human rights Acts and issues to the table. This should have easily been sorted out between Mr Mock and our President. Unfortunately we were trying to prove to the World we have a no nonsense strongman as our president. The swiss will not give up this now because the whole of Europe will be watching us. This will be surely ending up in Hague. Sad.

ram Saturday, 21 December 2019 07:29 PM

this incident emphasizes that if anyone want to make complain, they should think about the consequences. the best option is to escape the country if they don't feel safe and take the next step

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Swiss govt criticises lack of due process

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