Foreigners Arrested for Cyber Crimes

It has become almost a daily occurrence that foreigners are being taken into custody for cybercrimes. A noticeable number of Chinese,  Korean and other Asian nationals are currently residing in high-end apartments in Colombo, often paying premium rents. They maintain  high rent offices in Colombo.

Apartment owners are routinely asking foreign tenants to provide a passport copy and a work permit letter before renting out their units. However, beyond this, owners have no means to monitor or verify what activities tenants conduct inside their apartments or in theìŕ offìçes.

While we fully support law enforcement efforts to curb illegal cyber activities, it is unfair and unreasonable to hold apartment owners criminally responsible as accessories to these illicit acts. Owners act in good faith, to obtain the required documents, and have no access to or control over what occurs privately within a rented unit house or office.

I urge the authorities and the public to recognise this distinction. The responsibility for illegal activities should lie with the individuals committing them, not with property owners who are simply providing accommodation in compliance with existing procedures.

Sumith de Silva

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