Sri Lankan opposition parties gathered in Colombo on Sunday to condemn the arrest of former president Ranil Wickremesinghe calling it “undemocratic” and “petty act of political vengeance.”

Leaders of several opposition parties held a joint press conference in Colombo to protest the arrest of Wickremesinghe over alleged misuse of state funds during his tenure.

“Our country is used to a very open democratic practices,” said former president Maithripala Sirisena, who served as Sri Lanka’s head of state from January 2015 to November 2019.

“These sort of actions go against those basic principles,” Sirisena added.

He stated that the prevailing situation is extremely regrettable and that the opposition parties will unite in their efforts to do their utmost in a democratic manner to get former President Wickremesinghe released. 

Former Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said it is clearly evident that this is an attempt to intimidate and silence the opinions expressed against the government. 

The general secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Sagara Kariyawasam, said his party was at variance with Wickremesinghe’s politics, “but we have to oppose this act of attempting to silence opposition through intimidation by the state.” 

Meanwhile, the Colombo National Hospital this morning said that Wickremesinghe was still in the intensive care unit.

--With Inputs from Agencies