Sri Lankan immigration authorities today briefly detained an Australian senator and a MP from New Zealand for alleged visa abuse after the duo reportedly visited Tamil-dominated north of the country.
Leigh Rhiannon of Australia and Jan Logie of New Zealand were quizzed for being involved in media related activities having arrived here on tourist visas, said Chulananda Perera, the chief of immigration.
Reports claimed that the duo also travelled to the Tamil-dominated north and met members of the TNA, the main Tamil party of the country. TNA MP Shiva Shakthi Anandan said Rhiannon has discussed state of Tamils in the island nation.
Rhiannon claimed that she was on a fact finding mission in Sri Lanka. Rhiannon was on her way to the Colombo airport after completing her visit
The incident comes ahead of this week's Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting here. Both Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key are to attend the summit.
Two Australian women activists were deported by Lankan authorities last month for attending a media workshop while on tourist visas.
