Attacks on the Press in 2008: China
In the year of the “One World, One Dream” Olympics, China’s punitive and highly restrictive press policies became a global issue. International reporters who arrived early to prepare for the Games flocked to cover antigovernment riots in Tibet and western provinces in March and the Sichuan earthquake in May. They encountered the sweeping official interference…
A twisting road to Canada for a Chinese journalist
From his prison cell, veteran Chinese journalist Jiang Weiping wrote a poem to his daughter, Jennifer, which included the lines: “Though the road home has many twists and turns / Your daddy believes that we will be reunited soon.” She was little more than 10 years old when he was imprisoned in 2000 for reporting…
CPJ presses Human Rights Council on China
Dear sirs: On Monday, your representatives will participate in the U.N. Human Rights Council’s first review of China’s human rights record. As part of the review, countries are required to submit their questions in advance, and CPJ welcomes your questioning of China’s press freedom record.
Critical articles lead to 3-year jail term for writer
New York, November 21, 2008–A court in China’s southwestern Sichuan province sentenced a writer critical of the government to three years in prison today on charges of inciting subversion of state power, his wife told the Committee to Protect Journalists.
CPJ joins launch of Global Network Initiative
New York, October 28, 2008–After two years of intense negotiations, a diverse coalition of Internet companies, academics, socially responsible investors, and human rights groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, is launching the Global Network Initiative, an important first step in establishing guidelines for the communications and information industries to protect freedom of expression and…
Lee family wins defamation case
September 24, 2008 Hugo Restall, Review Publishing, Far Eastern Economic Review LEGAL ACTION A High Court judge in Singapore ruled that the Far Eastern Economic Review had defamed Singapore’s leaders, according to international news reports. Justice Woo Bih Li decided the case in a summary judgment without trial, dismissing arguments submitted by the magazine’s lawyers…
Tainted formula story crawls out of China
Watch carefully as the Chinese media report on the explosive story of tainted baby formula. The most recent break came from Central China Television (CCTV), the government’s official, flagship broadcaster. CCTV reported that an industrial chemical, melamine, has been discovered in milk products–everything from yogurt to ice cream as well as baby formula–from 22 companies…
Press freedom in the news 9/15/08
The kidnapping and subsequent death of four Iraqi journalists in Mosul on assignment for Al-Sharqia TV is the subject of numerous stories from the weekend and this morning. Both AP and Reuters released stories updating the situation. Voice of America also had coverage. The Los Angeles Times has an entry on its “Babylon and Beyond” blog about…