This article originally appeared in The International Herald Tribune December 13, 2004 www.iht.com/opinion.html NEW YORK–When Raúl Rivero was released from prison and reunited with his family in Havana last week, newspapers around the world published photographs of the smiling Cuban writer embracing his wife, Blanca.
New York, December 14, 2004—Two prominent writers and defenders of imprisoned journalists in China were taken from their homes yesterday, Monday, December 13, and interrogated about articles they had written for overseas Internet sites. Liu Xiaobo and Yu Jie were released this morning after being warned to stop writing reports critical of the Chinese government.…
New York, December 8, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists is outraged that Chinese authorities have detained journalist Shi Tao, putting the total number jailed in the country at 42. On November 24, freelance journalist Shi was taken into custody because of his writings criticizing Chinese policy. Police from the security bureau of Changsha, Hunan Province,…
New York, November 30, 2004—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the November 27 release of dissident journalist Liu Jingsheng, imprisoned since 1992 for “spreading counterrevolutionary propaganda.” But with 42 journalists still behind bars—including four imprisoned in 2004 alone—China remains the world’s leading jailer of journalists. CPJ called on the Chinese government to reverse its long…