Former Norwegian peace envoy to Sri Lanka, Erik Solheim, has urged the urgent release of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, raising concerns about his health while in detention.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Solheim said he was joining “leaders in Sri Lanka, South Asia and around the world” in calling for Wickremesinghe’s immediate release. He praised Wickremesinghe as the leader who “stood up to save Sri Lanka” during the 2022 economic and political crisis.
Solheim dismissed the allegations against Wickremesinghe as baseless, adding that even if they were true, they would not amount to any criminal or unacceptable conduct in Europe.
While voicing support for Sri Lanka’s anti-corruption drive, Solheim stressed that authorities should “focus on real issues” instead of pursuing charges against the former president.
