The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply disturbed to learn that a former journalist has been jailed in China for more than two years for accepting media interviews about the tainted milk scandal that rocked the country.

Zhao Lianhai, a former journalist whose son suffered from kidney stones after consuming tainted milk manufactured by Sanlu, was convicted by a court in Beijing for “disturbing social order”. He was sentenced to two years and six months in jail on November 10.

“Zhao is convicted because he accepted interviews by some non-mainland media outlets on the street outside a restaurant and police station in 2009,” Zhao’s lawyer, Li Fanping, said.

Zhao will appeal the court’s decision and has begun a hunger strike until he regains his freedom.

Li said the sentence is harsh and unfair, particularly since Zhao has been detained by authorities for 12 months.

Zhao was also accused of helping to organise parents of child victims of tainted milk to ask for compensation. He was further accused of assisting a rape victim to fight for justice.

“It is shocking that anyone should be jailed because they spoke with the press. This case indicates China’s authorities are seeking to obstruct the news-gathering process every step of the way,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.

“The decision to prosecute an individual undermines the principles of Article 35 of China’s Constitution and the regulations which govern the activities of non-mainland media working in China.”

According to Article 17 of the Regulations of the PRC Concerning Reporting Activities of Permanent Offices of Foreign Media Organisations and Foreign Journalists, Article 6 of the Regulations for Hong Kong and Macau Journalists and Article 7 of the Regulations for Taiwan Journalists, journalists and media workers are required only to obtain the prior consent of an interviewee when seeking to interview individuals in China.

The IFJ is also distressed to learn that senior management at media outlets in China are censoring reports on the Zhao case, despite no restrictive order being issued by the Central Propaganda Department.

In 2008, six children died and 300,000 suffered various illnesses, with many developing kidney stones, after drinking melamine-tainted milk manufactured by Sanlu. 

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 125 countries

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