The Attorney General’s (AG) Department’s Legal Officers’ Association has expressed concern over the circulation of unfounded and baseless personal attacks directed at the AG, President’s Counsel Parinda Ranasinghe Jr, and officers of the Department in the discharge of their official duties.

This concern was raised through a resolution unanimously passed at a special general meeting of the Association held on 29 January of this year (2026), the statement said. 

The Association observed the recent vituperative and repeated attacks appear to be part of coordinated measures to exert pressure on the AG and officers of the Department, thereby undermining the independence of the institution. The Association noted that similar attacks had occurred in the recent past, and warned of the systematic abuse and manipulation of social media to create an artificial impression of public dissatisfaction. The Association cautioned that such attempts to intimidate the Department, if left unchecked, could cause irremediable damage to the administration of justice, the rule of law, and democratic governance, ultimately degrading the public trust.  The Association also highlighted Ranasinghe’s integrity, fairness, and impartiality, as well as the substantial workload carried out by the Department despite severe shortages of personnel and resources. Calling on all stakeholders to actively counter misinformation, the Association warned that repeated attacks of this nature have a demoralising effect on the officers of the Department and could hinder their ability to provide effective legal services to the State and the people. The resolution further affirmed the Association’s unequivocal confidence in Ranasinghe, and reiterated its commitment to discharging duties fairly, justly, and in accordance with the law under his leadership. Emphasising the AG is subject to the rule of law, the Association noted that legitimate legal avenues exist for any person aggrieved by an act or omission of the AG, and stressed the Department will not be influenced by rhetoric or “trials by media” but will be guided solely by the law and admissible evidence. The Association also urged the public to refrain from circulating unverified and unsubstantiated allegations on social media, warning that such actions only serve to promote misinformation and undermine the independence of the office of the AG and the administration of justice.