Sri Lanka, Aug. 23 -- Moratuwa Municipal Councillor of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Lihini Fernando, has warned that the arrest of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe sets a "dangerous precedent" for the office of the presidency in Sri Lanka.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Fernando argued that criminalizing the inherent overlap between public and private life in the presidency threatens the dignity of the highest office in the country and leaves future leaders vulnerable to political reprisals.

"Future Presidents will constantly face the risk of prosecution for performing even the most ordinary personal functions while in office. A President cannot separate his private life from his public role, as his security, movements, an...