The Sri Lankan government has reportedly alerted Colombo’s international airport that a Swiss embassy employee who was abducted and assaulted by unknown men last week, may plan an attempt to leave the island.
NewsIn Asia quotes a highly placed source on Monday as saying that Colombo airport was alerted about the possibility of the employee leaving “as a precautionary measure”.
The Swiss government is also reported to have requested an air ambulance to allow the assaulted employee safe passage to Switzerland for further treatment.
The latest reports come after the Sri Lankan government dismissed accounts of the abduction that was presented by Switzerland’s ambassador and instead called for the victim to have a medical examination and be interviewed by Sri Lankan authorities.
The Sunday Times quoted a diplomatic source who said the staffer was “molested, questioned and threatened” after she was abducted.
The New York Times reported the men "forced her to unlock her cellphone data, which contained information about Sri Lankans who have recently sought asylum in Switzerland, and the names of Sri Lankans who aided them as they fled the country because they feared for their safety after Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the presidency in elections this month". Before releasing her, they reportedly threatened to kill her if she told anyone of her ordeal.
A week ago, an officer in Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department, Nishantha de Silva who had been investigating high profile cases such as the assassination of Lasantha Wickrematunge and the death of a Tamil detainee in custody, fled the island.
