Sri Lankan group detained in Kuwait over “unauthorized event”
The Kuwaiti Crime Department arrested 26 Sri Lankans yesterday for organizing a community event called “Sri Lanka Day” without obtaining prior permission from the Kuwait Ministry of Interior.
The event was reportedly organized by members of the Ethara Api organization Kuwait branch
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait stated that embassy officials visited the Crime Department and requested a pardon for the arrested individuals, which included musicians who had traveled from Colombo for the event.
“Twenty-four of the 26 detained individuals, including artists who had traveled from Sri Lanka to participate in the event, were released earlier today. However, two of the event organizers remain in custody as investigations continue,” an official from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait told Newswire
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Employment Minister, Manusha Nanayakkara, responded to the incident by tweeting, “I have been notified that Kuwait has arrested 24 Sri Lankans, including organizers and musicians, who attended an event organized by the JVP-led Ethara Api organization. I have contacted our embassy, and they are working with Kuwaiti officials to secure their release as soon as possible.
