The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
worried by reports that two journalists were asked to file a self-assessment report
explaining their motivations for covering a rape case in Beijing on August 6.
A
journalist, who wishes to remain
anonymous, told the IFJ that two
journalists and their senior supervisors at Southern
Weekend were reportedly asked by the newspaper’s chief editor to file a self-critical
assessment after publishing information about a rape case in which police were alleged to be involved.
The
journalists told the IFJ they were made to write a self-critical assessment of
how their professional work in reporting this case affected China and the Communist Party.
The IFJ also
learnt that soon after the article was published,
it was deleted from the Southern Weekend website while the Central Propaganda Department issued an order to all media
outlets banning reporting on the case.
“Journalists
have a professional duty to report on matters of public interest,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan
White said.
“Intervening
to prevent reporting on a case of public interest is yet another example
of censorship in China.”
For further
information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific
on +612 9333 0919
The IFJ
represents over 600,000 journalists in
120 countries worldwide