President Rajapaksa issues instructions to Acting IGP

Colombo (News 1st):

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (January 15) 

instructed Acting IGP to ensure arrests are carried out with due care whilst ensuring strict adherence to the law and protecting the rights of citizens.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa noted that as an arrest is not part of the punishment and results in the serious deprivation of liberty of citizens and other significant implications, such as loss of reputation and standing in the society, an arrest should be carried out only when absolutely necessary. The President further directed the Police to ensure that, the necessity to arrest should be made entirely on the professional judgment to be exercised by officers in charge of discharging the said duty independently, without any fear or favor. Due respect should be given by officers discharging such duties to the Members of Parliament as representatives of the people and professionals such as Doctors. The Police were further directed by the President to apply the same equality to all citizens of Sri Lanka without any discrimination whatsoever and under no circumstances carry out arrests for extraneous purposes and not to tolerate any undue influence. The President at all times has directed the Police to duly and properly discharge the duties with utmost diligence and upon advice from the Attorney General when required.