Lee Rhiannon, a New South Wales Senator in Australia stated that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's election defeat was a step closer to having him and his brothers tried in The Hague for war crimes.

She made this controversial statement posting a statement on her Twitter page, as the election results were being released in Sri Lanka this morning.

It was reported early morning today that former President Rajapaksa had accepted defeat.

Rhiannon is a politician representing Australian Greens.