The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges authorities in China to honour President Hu Jintao’s promise, made at a Central Committee meeting of the Communist Party of China on October 9, 2008, that China would work toward becoming an open society.
The IFJ has received several reports of orders issued by the Central Propaganda Department to Mainland media to restrict reporting on several significant recent news events in China.
A Mainland journalist, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the IFJ that journalists were told not to report on an incident where three people set fire to a car at Wangfujing in Beijing on February 25.
They were also reportedly ordered not to report on a mine blast that claimed 74 lives in Shanxi Province on February 23, and also not to report on protests in Beijing regarding the accident.
“We can only use information from the state-owned Xinhua News Agency,” the journalist said.
Some online journalists decided not to upload additional information to what was provided by Xinhua News Agency. Those that attempted to do so discovered they were unable to load information onto sites known to be under close observation by the Beijing authorities, the journalist told the IFJ.
It is believed that restrictions are being enforced in an effort to maintain social order ahead of the China National People’s Congress in Beijing this month.
“The IFJ is dismayed by the continuing restrictions imposed on China’s media by the Central Propaganda Department,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.
“The IFJ respectfully reminds President Hu Jintao of his speech delivered to the Communist Party of China in the Great Hall on October 9 last year, in which he said China was determined to become an open society.
“Increasing reports and incidents involving restrictions on reporting by mainland journalists suggest the spirit of President Hu’s promise is not being followed.”
The IFJ strongly urges China’s authorities to uphold official commitments to allow the media more freedom, as promised before the 2008 Olympic Games.
For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide