Sri Lanka, Sept. 1 -- Former Minister and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila has filed a petition before the Court of Appeal seeking an order to prevent his arrest, alleging misuse of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act.

The petition, lodged today (September 1) through his legal team, requests writs of prohibition and certiorari to block attempts by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to take him into custody. Gammanpila contends that the ICCPR Act is being invoked improperly, with the alleged intent of subjecting him to prolonged remand detention, potentially for up to a year, without trial.

Currently in Thailand, Gammanpila has named several officials as respondents in the petition,...