In a statement on Tuesday, International Federation of Journalists said that police arrested Subramanium Ramesh, a correspondent with the Tamil daily Veerakesari on 19th August 2005.

The President of the International Federation of Journalists, Christopher Warren said that ‘The IFJ is concerned that the arrest is not adhering to the rule of law in Sri Lanka’. ‘It is imperative that the legal process be a transparent one that ensures the right information on arrested persons’, said the IFJ President.

Emergency laws were imposed last week after the assassination of former Sri Lankan foreign minister, Lakshman Kadiragamar.

Sunanda Deshapriya, convenor of the Free Media Movement (FMM), told BBC Sinhala.com, that the FMM has made several calls to the officer in charge of Kurunegala police, but have been unable to gain any additional information from the Kurunegala police regarding the arrest.

BBC Sinhala.com was unsuccessful in contacting police officials in Kurunegala by phone.

The FMM’s secretary general has also reported the arrest to Sri Lanka’s human rights commission.