KP arrest: Malaysia being accused of violating international law

Human rights activists have accused Malaysia of violating international law by handing over new leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to Sri Lanka.

Commenting on the arrest of LTTE leader, Selvarasa Pathmanathan, in Malaysia, Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific Director Sam Zarifi told media that if any country arrests LTTE members the detainee should face charges in the country that they had been arrested.

He was commenting on the recent arrest of new LTTE leader, Selvarasa Pathmanathan in Malaysia, according to media reports.

“International law prohibits sending someone, including a criminal suspect, back to a country where they face real possibility of torture and ill-treatment and Sri Lanka does have a poor track record of torturing and poorly treating detainees,” Mr. Zarifi said.

“So there are some real questions about how KP was taken to Sri Lanka.”

Malaysian authorities, however, have neither confirmed nor denied reports that he was arrested in the country.

He further said that not only the new LTTE leader, Minister Karuna (Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan) should also face a fair trial for his alleged human rights violations.

“We want to see proper justice with proper due process for KP, for any of the LTTE members detained, for Karuna as well as for any member of the government accused of human rights violations,” he told media.

Meanwhile, the UK based British Tamils Forum (BTF) have urged Sri Lankan authorities to immediately produce Mr. Pathmanathan in a court of law.

“Mr Pathmanathan must be given access to legal representation according to international laws,” the BTF statement issued today (Tuesday).