Fonseka addresses Sri Lankan Parliament, demands freedom

Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka waves to his relatives in the public gallery before the commencement of the parliament in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Thursday.

Sri Lanka’s former Army chief General Sarath Fonseka demanded his freedom from what he called illegal detention as the newly elected lawmaker made his first speech from the Parliament.

Gen.(retd.) Fonseka, who unsuccessfully challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa in presidential elections in January, was arrested in February on accusations that he had planned his political career while still in uniform, and is awaiting trial.

He denied the charges and was able to successfully win a seat in the parliamentary elections this month.

He was escorted by guards from detention to Parliament on Thursday. He called himself a “victim of illegal detention” and demanded his freedom.