Namal Rajapaksa (Source: Facebook/Namal Rajapaksa)
Sri Lankan MP Namal Rajapaksa said he was denied entry to the US from Russia. Namal, son of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was in Moscow as an independent observer of the Russian Presidential Election and attended a couple of official meetings.
Speaking to The Indian Express, his office said the US Home Affairs department told him not to board the flight to Houston from Moscow without citing valid reasons. “There is no explanation from US Embassies in Moscow or Colombo on the same. He had a valid visa,” said his office.
Namal’s tweet (@RajapaksaNamal) said: “Emirates Air #Moscow informs I won’t make my Houston Flight as #US officials instruct them to not let me on board. Valid reason yet to be received. US has the sovereign right of course. Sure it has nothing to do with my name, being part of #lka opposition or my travel from #Russia ;-)”
Emirates Air #Moscow informs I won’t make my Houston Flight as #US Officials instruct them to not let me board. Valid reason yet to be received. US has the Sovereign right of course. Sure it has nothing to do with my name,being part of #lka opposition or my travel from #Russia 😉
— Namal Rajapaksa (@RajapaksaNamal) March 21, 2018
His office said he is flying back to Colombo and may issue a statement on the development on arrival at Colombo tomorrow.