Sivaramya Sivanathan a SLBC Journalist was arrested at a UNESCO conference on World Press Freedom Day on the first of May at Colombo.

Authorities say that Sivanathan could not produce an invitation at the gate of the conference and did not have necessary identification.

"The arrest of a journalist at an event designed to celebrate and promote freedom of the press raises serious concerns about the independence of the media," said IFJ president Christopher Warren.

Sunanda Deshapriya, spokesman of the FMM said that there were several other journalists who did not have invitations and Sivanathan was picked up mainly because of her ethnicity.

She was arrested, despite producing her SLBC identity card added Deshapriya.

Police told the court the case has been handed over to the National Intelligence Service and Terrorist Investigation Division to establish whether Sivaramya Sivanathan, has links with terrorist organisations.

The IFJ and the FMM has called on the Sri Lankan authorities to urgently review this incident and release Sivanathan if she is proved innocent.