Former President of Sri Lanka Hospitalized After First Night in Prison
Asia - August 23, the former president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was transferred to the Sri Lanka National Hospital in Colombo due to a deterioration in his health condition. He has now been moved from the emergency treatment room to the intensive care unit. The former president, making him the highest-ranking opposition figure detained under the new left-wing government's anti-corruption campaign.
A prison spokesperson explained that due to his sudden worsening health condition, he was sent to Sri Lanka's main public hospital. A doctor said, "He arrived with severe diabetes and hypertension."
The opposition claimed on Saturday that the government put Mr. Wickremasinghe in prison to prevent him from making a comeback. Mr. Wickremasinghe lost to Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the presidential election in September 2024.
He is the highest-ranking opposition official arrested under the country's left-wing government's anti-corruption policy. In 2022, the country faced its worst financial crisis in history. He planned to travel to London for a private trip in September 2023, reportedly funded by the treasury, to attend a memorial ceremony for his wife Miththi at a university in the UK.
Nalin Bandara, a member of the main opposition party "People's United Party," was allowed to visit the imprisoned Ranil Wickremasinghe. He told reporters, "The former president said we should unite to resist the oppression of the new government."
Talata Athukorala, the secretary-general of the United National Party led by Mr. Wickremasinghe, angrily said that the current regime "is afraid he might return to the power stage."
In 2023, Mr. Wickremasinghe made a brief stop in London while returning to Sri Lanka from Havana (Cuba), where he attended the G77 Summit. His office previously denied that he used his position to go to London. Three of his former senior aides have been questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
He and his wife Meetha attended the ceremony at the University of Wolverhampton, where she was awarded an honorary professorship. Mr. Wickremasinghe insisted that the travel expenses for his wife's trip were entirely paid by her, without using state funds.
However, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) accused Mr. Wickremasinghe of using government funds to pay for the travel expenses of this private visit, and the expenses of his accompanying bodyguards were also covered by the state.
Sources: rfi
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841294276069380/
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