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