IPU observer Trowell QC in town

• Previously observed proceedings of Sri Lanka’s Fonseka and Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim  
• Here to observe proceedings re Rishad Bathiudeen M.P.
• Acted as Counsel on world’s longest sea chase incident FV Viarsa 1

The Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) observer, Australian Queen’s Counsel Mark Trowell has arrived in Sri Lanka today morning.

“I am here on behalf of the IPU which is an organisation of 140 member states which includes Sri Lanka. IPU received a complaint that concerns the rights of Minister Bathiudeen who is a Member of Parliament of Sri Lanka. Accordingly IPU sent me to observe proceedings independently and impartially. Our reports are ultimately sent to Geneva for consideration,” Trowell said on 23 September upon his arrival in Colombo.  

IPU Secretary-General Anders B. Johnson has already requested Speaker of Sri Lanka Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa to facilitate Trowell QC’s visit to Colombo. Accordingly, Trowell QC, who arrived on flight UL319 on 23 September morning, was received at the Bandaranaike International Airport by the Protocol Officials of the Parliament.

Previously, the IPU appointed Mark Trowell to observe on its behalf proceedings brought against Sarath Fonseka, the former Army Commander. Accordingly Trowell attended and reported on the several proceedings taking place in Colombo in June 2011.

Trowell QC joined the independent Bar in Western Australia in 1989 after having been admitted to practice eight years earlier. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2000.   Throughout 2005-2006, in Perth and Sydney, he acted as counsel on behalf of the masters of foreign fishing vessels that had been seized by the Australian Customs for allegedly poaching in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. In fact, the Australian authorities chased one of the vessels, known as FV Viarsa 1, for three weeks over a distance of 7,000km across the Southern Ocean making it the world’s longest sea chase.

The Master and crew of the vessel were ultimately found not guilty. Previously, Trowell appeared as counsel for various persons called before a Royal Commission established in Western Australia in the early 1990’s to investigate political and financial corruption. Later, in 2003-04, he appeared before another Royal Commission into alleged police corruption acting for a large number of police officers on behalf of the Western Australian Police Union.

In May 2004, Trowell QC was appointed as an observer for the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Australian Bar Association at the appeal before the Federal Court of Malaysia at Putrajaya of former deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim against his earlier conviction and sentence. Thereafter, In January 2010, Mark Trowell was asked to observe and report on the second trial of Datuk Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim in the High Court of Malaysia on behalf of LAWASIA, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Union Internationale des Advocats (UIA).

He continued to observe the trial on behalf of the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union and LAWASIA until its conclusion on 9 January 2012.

In December 2006, Trowell QC was appointed by the Australian Government to undertake a review of the legislation governing the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) and then provide a report to the Federal Minister for Justice so that it has been tabled in the Australian Federal Parliament.