In a 17 January 2000 letter to President Jiang Zemin, WAN expressed its serious concern at the action taken by the government against twenty-seven newspapers. According to reports, on 12 January the government announced that it had “punished” twenty-seven newspapers, closing some down, for violating press regulations and printing fabricated or sensationalist stories. The State […]
In a 17 January 2000 letter to President Jiang Zemin, WAN expressed its serious concern at the action taken by the government against twenty-seven newspapers.
According to reports, on 12 January the government announced that it had “punished” twenty-seven newspapers, closing some down, for violating press regulations and printing fabricated or sensationalist stories. The State Press and Publication Administration stated that it had targetted newspapers that had published stories with “political errors” or fabricated news or had published supplements without permission. The newspapers concerned were not identified and no further details of the punishment were given.
WAN is concerned that these measures are connected to the plans outlined in November, which aim to close up to 200 local newspapers and re-exert central control over the press (see IFEX alert of 6 December 1999).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– respectfully reminding him that punishing newspapers for their content is a clear breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international agreements. Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which your government last year undertook to sign, states that: “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, either orally, in writing or in print”
– respectfully calling on him to ensure that the measures taken against the twenty-seven newspapers are immediately rescinded and that the government halts any plans to take action against other publications
– urging him to ensure that in future China abides by its international commitments to press freedom
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency President Jiang Zemin
Guowuyuan
9 Xihuangcheng
Beijing, China
Fax: +86 10 6512 5810
Please copy appeals to WAN.
