IFJ Press Freedom in China Campaign Bulletin: September 2011

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

To contribute news or information, email ifj@ifj-asia.org. To visit the IFJ’s China Campaign page, go to www.ifj.org.

1. IFJ, HKJA Call to Uphold Press Freedom in Hong Kong

The IFJ is deeply concerned that freedom of the press in Hong Kong was undermined by Hong Kong police and government officials during a series of events in recent months. On July 1, two journalists were arrested and detained by police when they were unable to produce their press cards when questioned. During the three-day official visit of Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang to Hong Kong from August 16 to 18, IFJ affiliate the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association recorded 28 cases of journalists, photographers and cameramen being harassed and obstructed by police.

An IFJ representative, HKJA Chairperson Mak Yin-Ting and General Secretary Chong Hiu-Yeung expressed their concerns about the erosion of press freedom at a meeting of the Hong Kong Legislative Council security panel on August 29. During the meeting, the IFJ expressed its frustration over police and government infringement of the rights of the media, in contravention of Hong Kong’s Basic Law and constitution. The IFJ encourages Hong Kong journalists and press freedom activists to wear a black T-shirt on Monday September 12, as part of the HKJA-led campaign to defend press freedom in Hong Kong.

See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/call-to-uphold-press-freedom-in-hong-kong
http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-questions-arbitrary-detention-of-journalists-in-hong-kong

2. ATV Executives Resign Over False Jiang Zemin Death Reports

The IFJ is deeply frustrated by the resignation of three senior news executives of Hong Kong-based Asia Television (ATV), after the airing of an inaccurate report on the death of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin on July 6. Veteran journalist and senior vice president of news and public affairs Leung Ka-Wing, and vice president Tammy Tam Wai-Yee tendered their resignations as a result of the report, with Leung taking full responsibility for the erroneous broadcast going to air, according to ATV news reports on September 5. Chinese-government owned News Agency Xinhua quickly dismissed speculation over the death of Jiang, 84, as ”pure rumour” on July 7. According to various newspaper reports, Leung’s resignation was in fact spurred on by a perceived compromise of editorial independence in the wake changes to the station’s management and editorial board structures. ATV English-language channel editor-in-chief Yonden Lhatoo has also since resigned. The Broadcasting Authority and Hong Kong Legislative Council Panel on Information and Technology and Broadcasting are now investigating the case.

3. Publisher and Journalist Suspended Over “Politically Incorrect” Article

The IFJ is deeply concerned the publisher and a senior journalist of bi-weekly magazine Nang Feng Chuang were suspended from their duties on August 15 after the publication on August 3 of an article deemed to be “politically incorrect” by authorities. Publisher Chen Zhong and editorial supervisor Zhao LingMin, were suspended from their duties at the magazine, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party in Guangdong Province. Their suspension comes after an article written by Zhao was published in which an academic from Taiwan’s National Chengchi University made a controversial remark about the political figures of China’s 1911 revolution, which led to the establishment of People’s of Republic of China. Zhao said in a blog post that the editorial board accused her of being “politically incorrect” without giving any explanation.

4. Journalist Detained for Reporting Forced Evictions

According to Nang Feng Daily reports on August 25, a journalist known only by the name Wang received 10 days’ detention on August 22 after posting three articles about the forced eviction of land owners in Hefei district, Anhui Province. Hefei Police accused Wang of disseminating false information and disrupting social disorder with the reports on the evictions, which began on August 10.

5. Apple Action News Fined for Plagiarism

News portal Apple Action News was fined HKD 40,000 (around USD 5200) on August 4 after admitting to plagiarism of news briefs in 2008 and 2009, in the first online news plagiarism case in Hong Kong. Next Media Interactive admitted to eight of 33 counts of copyright infringement from Oriental Press Group's online instant news portal on.cc. A defense lawyer for Apple Action News’s parent company Next Media Interactive said it was not company policy to allow journalists to copy news articles, but also admitted that the company had failed to supervise journalists closely. Two journalists were fired as a result of the plagiarism. The magistrate accepted that the company did not authorise the plagiarism by the two journalists but stressed that as an employer, it had a duty to ensure its employees' actions were lawful and in accordance with responsible journalistic practices.

6. IFJ Questions House Arrest for Freed Blogger in Sichuan

The IFJ was relieved to learn that blogger Ran Yunfei was freed from detention in China, but is concerned that Ran continues to be held under house arrest. Ran, 45, the editor of Sichuan Literature magazine, was released on August 9, after being detained on February 24 by Sichuan security officers who alleged he might be involved in “inciting subversion of state authority”. He has been ordered to remain under house arrest until February 9, 2012, without explanation. Ran was initially detained four days after a pro-democracy protest movement known as the “Chinese jasmine revolution”, in reference to mass protests in the Middle East and North Africa, began in China on February 20.

See: http://asiapacific.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-questions-house-arrest-for-freed-blogger-in-china

7. Beijing Dailies Put Under Control of Propaganda Departments

Two prominent Beijing-based national newspapers were suddenly put under direct control of the Propaganda Department of Beijing on September 2. Beijing News Daily was originally a joint venture of Nang Feng Daily and Guangming Daily, both of which are controlled by the Communist Party in Guangdong and Beijing Provinces respectively, while Jinghua News was a subsidiary of People’s Daily, also controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. According to various reports, the General Administration of Press and Publication approved the changes in line with a central authority policy for improving efficiency. However, a mainland journalist told the IFJ that most journalists believed the decision was retaliation for critical reporting of the Wenzhou train crash published in both papers. Both Beijing News Daily and Jinghua News will now be restricted to reporting only on the Beijing region.

ENDS

© Scoop Media