The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned by the recent restrictions on the Chinese media’s ability to report on issues of public concern.

According to reports received, China’s Central Propaganda Department issued a restrictive order on August 18, preventing Mainland media from reporting on protests that followed an incident in which Japanese authorities detained a group of Chinese activists in relation to the disputed Diaoyu or Senkakus Islands. (The group was released on August 17).

The protests, characterised as “anti-Japan” reportedly took place across China including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Jinan, Hangzhou, Changsha, Harbin provinces.

A Hong Kong-based journalist of Cable Television - Timothy Wu, had his press card confiscated while covering the protests.

Restrictions were also placed on the Chinese media’s reporting on the case of Gu Kailai, wife of former Chongqing Communist Party Secretary Bo Xilai. The murder scandal resulting in a commuted death sentence for Gu on August 20 for the poisoning Neil Heywood, has attracted considerable media attention internationally.

Locally however, the Chinese media have been forbidden from reporting on the scandal since February, apart from republishing reports written by state media- Xinhua News Agency. Media was blocked from attending the hearing, apart from state media agencies China Central Television and Xinhua. The two court-arranged press conferences held after the hearing and sentence did not provide any opportunity for media questions.

Additionally, a plain clothes police person assaulted a cameraman from Hong Kong-based Asia Television, outside the court room.

Authorities have attempted to restrict netizens from publishing on the case. A mainland journalist was detained after he forwarded a message describing developments in China around the case, and authorities are seeking to censor related key words.

“Directives that restrict independent reporting in the public interest are unacceptable and an attack on the rights of China’s general public to information” said the IFJ Asia Pacific.

We urge the Central Propaganda Department to uphold Article 35 of the Chinese Constitution and respect press freedom and the right of the Chinese people to information. 

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0918

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

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