China: Wave of legal action leaves writers and activists behind bars
New York, October 17, 2006—A court in northern China’s Hebei province today sentenced Guo Qizhen to four years in prison on charges of “inciting subversion” for writing essays on U.S.-based Web sites that criticized the Communist Party leadership. Guo is one of a number of critics and human rights activists to be jailed recently. “More…
Reporters attacked covering car accident
September 25, 2006 Posted: October 13, 2006 Bai Chuan, New Express Zhou Jiong, Southern Metropolis Daily Six other reporters ATTACKED Around 4 a.m., eight reporters from local dailies Yangcheng Evening News, Southern Metropolis Daily, New Express, and local broadcaster Southern TV arrived at the scene of an accident in the Baiyuan district of the southern…
China: Olympics organizers must ensure media freedom
New York, September 22, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on China and the International Olympic Committee to address concerns about press freedom when they brief the international media next week on preparations for the 2008 Beijing games. CPJ is troubled by new policies restricting the flow of information in China and the government’s continued…
China: Founder of popular Aegean Sea Web site arrested
New York, September 20, 2006— The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the arrest in China of the founder of Aegean Sea, the popular Web site closed down March 9. Zhang Jianhong was detained September 6 on allegations of “inciting subversion” through his online political essays, according to news reports and CPJ sources. Zhang’s…
China: Government restricts foreign news distribution
New York, September 11, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by China’s announcement Sunday that the state-controlled Xinhua News Agency would oversee the distribution of foreign news and information within China, and would censor all news stories, photographs and other information deemed offensive under several broad categories.
In China, Hong Kong journalist sentenced to five years in prison
New York, August 31, 2006—A court in Beijing today sentenced Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong, China correspondent for The Straits Times, to five years in prison on charges of spying for Taiwan. The Committee to Protect Journalists noted that authorities have not presented evidence that Ching committed any crime, and that his jailing appears to…
China: Apple subcontractor reduces libel damages claim
New York, August 31, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the decision today of an Apple Computer subcontractor in China to reduced its demand for punitive libel damages against two journalists who investigated alleged labor abuses. The company, which makes iPods in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, also asked a local court to unfreeze…
China: CPJ troubled by libel case against journalists reporting on Apple supplier
New York, August 30, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the filing of a defamation suit and the freezing of the assets of two journalists who investigated alleged labor abuses by a maker of Apple iPods in China. A subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Co. Ltd of Taiwan is suing reporter Wang You and…
Prosecution of Zhao Yan reflects China’s ongoing media crackdown
New York. August 25, 2006—The prosecution of New York Times researcher Zhao Yan, which ended today in a mixed verdict, reflects Chinese authorities’ ongoing efforts to intimidate journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Zhao, detained since 2004, was acquitted on charges of revealing state secrets but convicted of a lesser count of fraud…