Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has filed a fundamental rights (FR) petition with the Supreme Court, seeking an order for the reinstatement of his security detail, which was significantly reduced. Rajapaksa, through his legal representatives, named Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other members of the Cabinet of Ministers as respondents in the petition.
The petition alleges that Rajapaksa’s security detail has been reduced to just 60 personnel, a decision made without any proper security assessment. The former President claims that this cutback is jeopardizing his safety, as currently, no armed forces personnel are assigned to protect him. Instead, only police officers have been designated to provide security.
In the petition, Rajapaksa emphasizes his unique position, stating that as the leader who played a pivotal role in ending the nearly three-decade-long war in Sri Lanka, he continues to face potential terrorist threats. Furthermore, he asserts that his life has been subjected to direct threats.
Rajapaksa argues that the reduction in his security represents a violation of his fundamental human rights and calls for the court to order an immediate assessment of the security risks he faces. He is also requesting the Supreme Court to direct the respondents to restore his full security detail, which has been removed.
