The International Federation of Journalists is disturbed by another violent attack on a journalist in China, after Yung For, the Beijing correspondent of Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily was beaten by security guards in the People's Congress on October 26.
Yung reportedly suffered head injuries and a broken nose while covering the Miss International beauty contest inside the People’s Congress after security guards started to physically harass photographers for being too close to the stage.
“China’s horrific record of violence against journalists and oppression of press freedoms seems only to be degenerating, despite its economic advancements,” Christopher Warren, the IFJ president said.
“That a journalist can be beaten inside the People’s Congress, of all places, indicates a terrible safety situation for media workers and a worrying impunity for those who attack journalists,” said the president of the IFJ, the organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in over 115 countries.
Earlier this year, Xiao Guopeng, editor of the Ashun Daily, was attacked outside his offices by a uniformed police officer in the province of Guizhou on July 18. He died the next day in a local hospital from severe head injuries.
“These incidents do not go unnoticed, and the government of China must now make some very real moves to ensure its commitment to economic development is supported by its commitment to the protection of human rights, or it will surely fail in both,” Warren said.
For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific +61 9333 0919
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 115 countries