FMM says police and CID denied arresting journalists

Commenting on the arrest of three journalists in Colombo, FMM spokesman Sunanda Deshapriya they were informed that journalists were not arrested by the police.

"In a democratic society, there is an accepted way of arresting a person," he told bbcsinhala.com.

"We have been constantly urging the authorities to abide by the accepted norms".

Media freedom

The FMM, found to fight violations of media freedom and human rights, will continue to campaign against these violations irrespective of somebody's political allegiances, Deshapriya said.

In a democratic society, there is an accepted way of arresting a person FMM

The Sri Lankan government has said that three Sinhalese journalists who went missing on Monday were in fact arrested for allegedly helping Tamil Tiger rebels.

Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the three journalists have confessed to planning and carrying out attacks on behalf of the rebels.

The military found explosives hidden by the suspects after the arrest, he added.

Journalists' confessions

Lalith Seneviratne, a journalist working for Hiru Sinhala newspaper, Sisira Priyankara, a member of the United Railway Workers Union and the news editor of the union's journal, Akuna and Nihal Senasinghe were reported missing on Monday night.

In a press conference held in Colombo, journalists were shown footages of suspects 'confessing' to have worked with the Tamil Tigers to stage attaks in the south.

"Even now, our position is if they were abducted it was an illegal act," FMM spokesman told BBC Sandeshaya.

He added that Sinhala people working with LTTE was not 'unprecedented' as some of those who supported Tamil Tigers have even become Cabinet ministers in the past.

"It is not to say that we accept violence or terrorism," Sunanada Deshapriya said.