Arrested journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara was visited at Borella police by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa last night (28).
The opposition leader thereafter spoke to the media and denounced the arrest.
Uduwaragedara was assaulted and taken into custody by the police as he was leaving in a three-wheeler, after covering a protest by several groups against the IMF at Borella earlier in the day.
The Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association condemned his assault and arrest, saying there appears to be no valid legal justification behind his arrest.
“We have reason to believe that Tharindu Uduwaragedara has been under surveillance by law enforcement for an extended period, leading us to question the motives behind this planned arrest”, it said in a statement.
Separately, the journalist was asked to be at the CID on 04 July to give a statement over his comments with regard to his comments to the media on the arrest of standup comedian Natasha Edirisooriya.
Acting police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara claimed the journalist had been nabbed during a protest for unruly behaviour.
He will be produced before a magistrate tomorrow, said DIG Gunasekara.
Uduwaragedara is an award-winning freelance journalist and civil society activist.
