IFJ Press Freedom in China Campaign Bulletin

Welcome to IFJ Asia-Pacific’s monthly Press Freedom in China Campaign e-bulletin. The next bulletin will be sent on August 8, 2011, and contributions are most welcome.

1. Open Letters Call for Release of Targeted Journalists, Writers and Bloggers

The IFJ wrote an open letter on June 30 to urge the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of Communist Party in China, on the eve of the party’s 90-year anniversary on July 1, to demonstrate its commitment to free expression by releasing all imprisoned journalists, writers and bloggers. The letter also called for the full implementation of rights and protections to these individuals that are enshrined under the constitution of China. The IFJ wrote a second open letter to President Hu Jintao and the other five members of the Standing Committee of Political Bureau of Communist Party of China on the 2nd anniversary of ethnic Uyghur unrest in Xinjiang on July 5. Hundreds of journalists, writers, bloggers and other citizens have been targeted in the wake of the unrest, with information on trials or charges heavily restricted. The IFJ made seven recommendations to the Central Government of China including that all cases relating to the unrest be re-tried in a fair and open court witnessed by legal experts from local and international organisations, including the United Nations; and that all media censorship including on websites and at internet cafes in all ethnic Uyghur areas cease immediately.

See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-calls-for-release-of-imprisoned-journalists-writers-and-bloggers-in-china-on-ccp-anniversary

http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-call-on-china-to-release-all-journalists-writers-and-bloggers-on-2nd-anniversary-ethnic-unrest-in-xinjiang

2. IFJ Alert Prompts China Government to Halt Media “Blacklists”

The IFJ was pleased that the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) in China acknowledged that the government would not allow the creation of media “blacklists” by government departments or institutions, after the IFJ raised concerns on June 20 that such a blacklist was mooted by health ministry officials. China Health Education Centre director and spokesperson of the media and promotion office Mao Qunan, said on June 13 that the Ministry of Health (MOH) would prepare a list to curb certain journalists and media workers from “polluting the communications environment”. State-controlled Xinhua news agency reported on June 27 that a GAPP official stated that no law or regulation allows any organisation or individual to harass or interrupt media personnel when they are exercising their legal rights. GAPP, which is charged with monitoring all Mainland journalists and upholding the oversight role of the media, also said that in the case of incorrect media reports, there should not be a “scolding attitude” towards the press from government departments, the Xinhua report said. The IFJ urges all journalists in Mainland China to file a report with GAPP if they feel their legal rights are being undermined.

See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/blacklist-of-health-reporters-in-china

http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/china-authorities-dismiss-media-blacklist-fears-after-international-outcry

3. Investigative Journalist Jailed Twice on Identical Charges

The IFJ condemned punitive tactics employed by China authorities against prominent investigative journalist Qi Chonghuai, 46, who has been sentenced to a further eight years’ imprisonment on the eve of completing a four-year jail term. Renowned anti-corruption journalist Qi was sentenced to eight years’ jail by Tengzhou Court, Shangdong in eastern China on June 9 on charges of extortion, blackmail and fraud. However Qi’s two defence lawyers said the legal system is relying on evidence already used to convict Qi of identical charges in 2008, when he received a four year sentence. He will now remain in prison pending an appeal by his legal team. Qi, who had served at various Mainland media outlets including at Legal System Daily, had received beatings almost everyday in Tengzhou prison, according to reports. After an international outcry the journalist was reportedly transferred to another prison and assigned to work long hours in a coal mine.

See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/investigative-journalist-jailed-twice-on-identical-charges-in-china

4. High-Profile Detained Journalists and Activists Released but Remain Restricted

The IFJ was pleased to see the release of renowned freedom of expression activists including artist Ai Weiwei and four associates including former Global Times English journalist Wen Tao; writer and environmental activist Hu Jia; and June 4th Tiananmen Square website (June Fourth Tianwang) founder and administrator Huang Qi, who were released after being detained in some cases for almost three months. Huang Qi was released on June 10 after three years imprisonment following a conviction on charges of illegal possession of state secrets in 2008. Hu Jia was released on June 26 after completing three years and six months imprisonment. Hu, who suffers from cirrhosis of the liver, was convicted on December 25, 2008 of inciting subversion of state power after he wrote articles and accepted interviews with overseas media outlets. Ai Weiwei was released on June 22 after being detained for 81 days by Beijing police on accusations of tax evasion. Xinhua news agency reported on June 22 that Ai was released on bail because of his “good attitude in confessing his crimes” and because he is suffering from a chronic disease. Ai’s associates former journalist Wen Tao, accountant Xu Mingfen, designer Liu Zhenggang and Ai’s cousin Zhang Jingsong, who were all employed by Ai’s company, Beijing Fake Cultural Development, were all released on June 24. Despite the releases, individuals involved face heavy restrictions. Ai and Hu told media separately that police have warned them not to speak, write or send messages through Twitter to media. Many uniformed policemen blocked media from interviewing Hu. Ai is able to move freely but a hidden camera has been installed at a lamp post outside his Beijing home. Their releases coincided with an official visit by China’s Premier Wen Jiabao to the United Kingdom and Europe.

See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/ai-weiwei-released-but-journalist-and-associates-still-missing

5. Surge in Retribution for Journalists and Internet Users in China

The IFJ was deeply concerned to learn that China’s law enforcement officers further targeted the free flow of information over the internet in June. Online journalist and activist Wang Yuqin was punished with two weeks’ detention after she repeatedly appealed for medical treatment for her detained husband Yang Qiuyu, also an online journalist and activist who was detained by police after taking photographs at so-called jasmine revolution protests in Beijing on March 6. Retired Chongqing Government official Fang Hong was punished on April 25 with 12 months in a “re-education” labour camp after he made light of the name of local Communist Party Secretary Bo Xilai in a satirical poem posted on April 21. The official charges against Fang in the case were that he disseminated fabricated information and caused social disorder. Police in Zengcheng county said on June 15 that they detained an internet user by the name of Chen, alleging he was involved in disseminating false information online regarding reports that police beat a street vendor to death. In a separate incident in Chao’an county, Guangdong province, police reportedly punished a person on June 8 with 10 days’ detention for allegedly posting “rumours” online and causing social unrest in Guxiang township, Chaozhou on June 3. The case relates to three days of clashes from June 3 as hundreds of people gathered outside a ceramics factory, after a former factory worker was seriously injured by unknown individuals when he appealed for his wages. On June 20, state-owned Xinhua News Agency reported another case in which an internet user was punished with 10 days’ detention after posting information about a suspected breach of land regulations in relocating a hospital in Guiyang, Guizhou Province.

See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/retribution-for-journalists-and-internet-users-in-china
http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/censorship-in-china-risks-fueling-public-unrest

6. Journalists Injured, Harassed in Attacks in China

A female journalist, known as Lim, of China Central Television (CCTV) was seriously injured on June 9 by an unknown male outside of the broadcaster’s office building in Haidian, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Lim sustained knife wounds to her nose and face in the attack. According to a Global Times report on June 13, the suspect, only known by the surname Xu, allegedly asked Lim whether she worked at CCTV before attacking her. Further information from Police about the investigation is obscure. In a similar incident in Shenyang, the Director of Industrial and Commercial Bureau of Shenhe District, Shenyang Yang Xiaosong, and family members harassed Liaoning Evening Post journalists on June 8 after the newspaper published an article criticising the quality of rice dumplings at his son’s shop, according to a June 18 Xinhua report. Yang threatened the journalist responsible for the article during the scuffle in which two management personnel were injured. Yang also harassed media in an attempt to stop reports of the incident.

7. IFJ Urges Hong Kong Police to Explain Arrest of Journalists
The IFJ demanded an explanation from Hong Kong police after officers detained two journalists who took photos of police escorting protestors from a demonstration in Hong Kong on July 1. Kiri Choy, 19, an intern journalist with New Tang Dynasty Television, and David Cheung, a citizen journalist with Green Radio, were detained by police on the night of July 1. They told the IFJ they had disclosed their identities to the police but were unable to produce their press cards when questioned. They were arrested and detained at a police station in Aberdeen, Hong Kong for more than 10 hours. The arrests were a violation of the Basic Law and Chapter 39, Section 5 of Police General Orders. The IFJ demanded that Hong Kong police unconditionally drop all arbitrary charges against journalists and uphold their constitutional duty to allow media to operate freely, without fear of arrest.
See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-urges-hong-kong-police-to-explain-arrest-of-journalists

8. New HKJA Report Finds Freedom of Expression Under Threat in Hong Kong

IFJ affiliate the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) released a new report which found that the year from July 2010 to June 2011 was not conducive to freedom of expression. The report Two Systems Compromised: Free Expression Under Threat in Hong Kong found that the one-country approach is increasingly overriding the two systems that govern Hong Kong, with Beijing taking a more aggressive role in its policy towards the Special Administrative Region. The HKJA said in the report that it has abandoned hopes of expecting real change to press freedom matters from the administration of current chief executive Donald Tsang and urged the new chief executive, who will be determined in elections set for 2012, to resist pressure to enact mooted national security legislation; move to enact freedom of information legislation as a matter of urgency; and review the government's policy and attitude towards dissent, including policing, arrests and harassment of protesters, as well as the admission of dissidents to Hong Kong. The report says the new chief executive should also reverse the government's decision to retain Radio Television Hong Kong as a government department, in favour establishing the broadcaster as a truly independent, government-funded entity. The IFJ extends its full support to the report’s recommendations.

See: http://www.hkja.org.hk/site/portal/Site.aspx?id=A1-936&lang=en-US

9. Democracy Fellowship Program: Applications Open Now

The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program at the Washington, DC-based National Endowment for Democracy invites applications for fellowships for 2012-2013. This US Federal Government-funded program enables democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change. Dedicated to international exchange, this five-month residential program offers a collegial environment for fellows to reflect on their experiences and consider best practices; conduct independent research and writing; engage with colleagues and counterparts in the United States; and develop professional relationships within a global network of democracy advocates. Applications are accepted between August 1 and November 1, 2011.

See: http://www.ned.org/fellowships/reagan-fascell-democracy-fellows-program

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