A strong warning from senior legal professionals says coordinated social media attacks on the Attorney General threaten judicial independence and could fatally damage Sri Lanka’s justice system.
The Free Lawyers Organization has issued a firm press release urging the public and political actors to protect the independence of the Attorney General and to condemn growing pressure on the judicial process.
According to the statement, recent weeks have seen sustained social media campaigns targeting the Attorney General in connection with allegations of misuse of Rs. 16.6 million involving former President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The organization warns that these attacks appear organized, baseless, and designed to undermine the Attorney General’s independent functioning, damage his professional reputation, and erode public confidence in the legal system.
The press release highlights a recent Facebook post by Sanath Balasuriya, a former journalist trade union leader now living abroad, which referenced a Sunday Times report dated January 11, 2026. In that post, internal professional differences within the Attorney General’s Department were portrayed as evidence of conspiracy or bias. The Free Lawyers Organization notes that Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera’s view that evidence was insufficient, and Additional Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris’s position that charges could be filed, were distorted for political narratives.
The Attorney General, as State Counsel and Chief Prosecutor, holds a constitutionally protected independent office. Decisions on whether to prosecute are exercised in a quasi judicial capacity, based strictly on evidence, legal principles, and professional ethics.
The Supreme Court and Court of Appeal have repeatedly affirmed that this discretion must be exercised free from political influence, similar to judicial independence, as confirmed in SC/APPEAL/104/2024 and CA/WRIT/441/2021.
The statement warns that such pressure is a mortal blow to justice. It cites the February 2025 removal of two judges in the Krish money laundering case following Facebook posts by Mr. Balasuriya as a dangerous precedent.
The Free Lawyers Organization stresses that protecting the rule of law is a collective responsibility and that the Attorney General must be allowed to function without intimidation or political interference.
President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne and Attorney Saman Galappatti issued the statement on behalf of the Free Lawyers Organization.
