A former senior officer of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has expressed written regret before the Supreme Court to civil activist and comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya over her arrest under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act.

M.M.U. Subasinghe, former Officer-in-Charge of the CID’s Cyber Crimes and Intelligence Analysis Unit, conveyed his regret when Edirisooriya’s fundamental rights petition was taken up before a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice P. Padman Surasena.

The Attorney General’s Department informed court that the Inspector General of Police would issue a circular to all police officers within two weeks, setting out guidelines aimed at preventing unlawful arrests under the ICCPR Act. Edirisooriya has reviewed and agreed to the proposed guidelines, court was told.

The Bench directed the respondents to inform court once the circular is issued and ordered that the case be concluded.

In his written statement, Subasinghe expressed regret over Edirisooriya’s arrest on 27 May 2023 and her subsequent remand until 5 July 2023, acknowledging the reputational harm and emotional distress caused.