Sri Lanka actress turned activist Damitha Abeyratne released on bail: report

ECONOMYNEXT – Popular Sri Lanka actress turned activist Damitha Abeyratne who was arrested on charges of forcibly entering the presidential secretariat after a protest in July has been released on bail, reports said.

The privately owned NewsFirst network reported Monday September 12 afternoon that the actress was released on two personal bails of 500,000 rupees each by the Colombo Fort Magistrate.

Abeyratne was arrested on September 07 for forcibly entering the president’s office located near the Galle Face Green in Colombo on July 10. Protestors stormed the building the previous day and occupied it for a number of days, during which the actress had entered the premises, according to police.

The protestors and Abeyratne herself had been demanding the resignation of then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was forced to flee the country on July 09.

Sri Lanka’s youth activists, protestors and opposition legislators have been urging the release of the award-winning actress.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa visited her in remand custody on two separate occasions, the most recent visit being Monday morning, hours before her release on bail.

Related:

Sri Lanka opposition calls for arrested actor-turned-protestor’s release