A Scottish blogger fears she's going to now be trapped in Sri Lanka for six months after British diplomats mentioned they may not drive the international locations authorities to return her passport.
Kayleigh Fraser, a medical researcher from St Andrews, who has been residing within the nation since final yr, has been locked in a authorized battle with immigration officers on the island for months after they seized her passport and accused her of breaching the phrases of her visa. It got here after she shared pictures of a civil rebellion on social media.
We advised in October how Kayleigh had been compelled to enter hiding over fears for her security after judges refused to grant the return of her paperwork. Sri Lanka's Supreme Court docket has mentioned it will not hear her case till July subsequent yr.
Determined Kayleigh contacted the British Excessive Fee in capital metropolis Colombo is a final ditch try and get assist to return dwelling, however diplomats have mentioned they can't compel officers at hand over her papers or private possessions.
Along with her authorized battle now delayed for six months, Kayleigh says she is now 'trapped within the nation and faces arrest and detention if she exhibits her face in public.
Kayleigh mentioned: "My human rights are being utterly disregarded.
"I must get out of right here and they aren't letting me out. I've acquired no cash left. I've acquired nothing.
"The place I am in is loopy and the British authorities should not serving to me. Why am I utterly by myself?
"I'm caught on this godforsaken nation with no choice to get out. I do not know what is going on to occur to me and I do not know what else to do."
In a letter included as a part of her most up-to-date petition to Sri Lanka's Supreme Court docket, Kayleigh wrote: "I would like my passport and valuables again into my custody and I would like my freedom and security assured. I shouldn't be compelled to stay in worry."
Kayleigh has pinned her hopes on a recent bid at getting her issues again after prime lawyer Geoffrey Alagaratnam provided to make a recent enchantment to the courts. Alagaratnam, who as soon as led the Bar Affiliation of Sri Lanka, is anticipated to argue that denying her a listening to was a breach of her human rights.
She claims she got here to the eye of Sri Lanka's authorities after sharing pictures of the "aragalaya" protests on her Instagram earlier this yr. The civil rebellion was sparked by spiralling inflation and gas shortages and led to the collapse of the nation's authorities.
Human rights teams say the brand new administration remains to be suppressing protest, misusing anti-terror powers to proceed cracking down on dissenters. Kayleigh was interrogated by officers over her social media posts after she was first arrested in August, and claims associates sheltering her have been intimidated and even attacked by authorities enforcers attempting to find her whereabouts.
British diplomats are understood to have advised Kayleigh that their choices are restricted as a result of she arrived in Sri Lanka with with a medical visa that the federal government claims was acquired beneath false pretences. She accepts that the visa she was supplied with on coming into the nation was a medical one, however was advised to not fear about it by the company that she gave 125,000 Sri Lankan rupees (then price £550) to course of her software.
She now believes the visa she was issued with was faux. The Document has contacted the company for remark.
She added: "The Sri Lankan authorities are saying I obtained the visa beneath false pretences and that is not true. That is their propaganda to justify what they're doing to me however that is not what has occurred."
A Overseas, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace spokesperson mentioned: “We're offering consular help to a British lady in Sri Lanka and are involved with the native authorities.”
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