(HKJA/IFEX) – In advance of the visit to Hong Kong by Chinese President Jiang Zemin, 505 journalists signed a petition to demand the immediate release of mainland journalist Gao Yu. The petition was published in the 30 June edition of the “Apple Daily” newspaper. The HKJA collected 359 signatures from journalists working in Hong Kong […]
(HKJA/IFEX) – In advance of the visit to Hong Kong by Chinese President
Jiang Zemin, 505 journalists signed a petition to demand the immediate
release of mainland journalist Gao Yu. The petition was published in the 30
June edition of the “Apple Daily” newspaper.
The HKJA collected 359 signatures from journalists working in Hong Kong and
another 146 signatures via electronic mail and fax from journalists all over
the world. Moreover, 27 journalists organizations and groups concerned with
freedom of expression also showed their support for the petition. Sixteen
IFEX member organizations or their representatives were among those
signatories (see list, below).
The text of the petition follows.
WE DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF GAO YU
We are journalists working in Hong Kong. As Chinese President Jiang Zemin is
visiting Hong Kong during the first anniversary of the handover, we take
this opportunity to demand the immediate release of mainland journalist Gao
Yu.
Gao Yu was formerly deputy editor of Beijing’s “Economic Weekly” and a
freelance journalist for newspapers and magazines both in China and Hong
Kong. She was sentenced in November 1994 to six years in prison for “leaking
state secrets to parties outside mainland China.”
Gao Yu has been in jail for five years and her health is deteriorating. We
hereby demand the immediate release of Gao Yu and many others who were
imprisoned solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression.
ARTICLE 19
Canadian Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists, U.S.A.
Freedom House, U.S.A.
Greek Helsinki Monitor
Human Rights Watch
Institute for the Studies on Free Flow of Information, Indonesia
International Federation of Journalists, Belgium
International PEN Writers in Prison Committee, United Kingdom
International Press Institute, Austria
Journalist Safety Service, Netherlands
Pacific Islands News Association, Fiji
PEN Canada
Periodistas, the Argentinean Association for the Defence of Independent
Journalism
Reporters sans frontières, France
World Association of Newspapers, France