By KUNA,
Tokyo : Representatives of foreign journalists in China said Wednesday that overseas reporters are operating in an increasingly hostile environment ahead of the Beijing Olympics, with death threats and intimidation of staff on the increase, media reports said.
The Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) said at least 10 foreign journalists have received death threats in recent weeks after state-run media launched a campaign against alleged Western media bias in reporting of riots and antigovernment protests in Tibet, Japan’s Kyodo News Agency reported from Beijing.
The club has also received details of more than 50 cases of authorities attempting to hamper foreign reporters’ efforts to cover the unrest in Tibet and neighboring provinces, including journalists being detained and Chinese staff intimidated and ordered to inform on their foreign employers, according to Kyodo.
The statement from the FCCC, timed to coincide with the 100-day countdown for the Beijing Games, said this goes against government promises to allow foreign journalists freedom to report in China ahead of and during the Olympics.
“If allowed to continue, the reporting interference and hate campaigns targeting international media may poison the pre-Games atmosphere for foreign journalists,” FCCC President Melinda Liu was quoted as saying.
“We urge the government authorities to investigate the death threats, which violate Chinese law, and otherwise help create an atmosphere in keeping with their Olympic promises.” The organization has also urged the government to guarantee that Chinese people who speak to the foreign media will not be harassed.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu said earlier this month that foreign reporters are barred from Tibet and other provinces hit by riots and antigovernment protests for their own safety.
She also rejected suggestions that the government is encouraging threats made against overseas reporters.
“In recent days, we see that the indignation and dissatisfaction of many Chinese citizens was expressed over some Western media’s provocative, biased, and unfair coverage. I would like to stress that the Chinese government will continue to protect the safety and all lawful rights of foreign journalists, in accordance to law,” Jiang said.