Sri Lanka, April 17 -- Current government leaders are exerting heavy and direct influence on law enforcement agencies in a manner never seen under any previous president or head of state.

Sagara Kariyawasam, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and former Member of Parliament, made these remarks during a press conference at the party headquarters today (17).

Sri Lanka is a democratic country where individual liberty and the right to hold political opinions or practice religion are protected, and no one has the right to strip citizens of these freedoms.

While institutions like the Police, Attorney General's Department, Bribery Commission, and the Judiciary exist to protect the law, the current administration is in...