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Alert

Journalist assaulted

(CPJ/IFEX) - In a 2 April 2002 letter to the president of the People's Republic of China, Jiang Zemin, CPJ expressed its grave concern over the recent physical assault against Yang Wei, a photographer for the Chinese-language daily "Jinghua Shibao" ("Beijing Times").


Yang was working undercover to investigate reports of mismanagement and unfair pricing at a Beijing property management company called Zhongchuang. The investigation focused on Zhongchuang's management of the Shiliu Yuan Estates in Beijing's Fengtai District.

On 24 March, after discovering that Yang was a journalist, several Zhongchuang staff members beat him up, according to local news reports. Yang was taken to the Chaoyang Hospital, where he was treated for a damaged eardrum. He was released from the hospital on 26 March.

Immediately following the beating, police detained four suspects. All four were released without charge on 27 March, "Jinghua Shibao" reported. While officers at the Fengtai District precinct have pledged to resolve this case, no progress has been made so far.

In recent years, journalists in China have faced increasing threats for reporting on misconduct or corruption by both state officials and private citizens. According to the English-language newspaper "China Daily", more than twenty cases of violence against journalists have been reported since 1997.

CPJ has also documented several recent cases of Chinese journalists imprisoned in reprisal for their reporting on corruption.

In light of the assault against Yang, Chinese government officials, media workers, and private individuals have urged greater protections for Chinese journalists. "The legal right of journalists to report is repeatedly being violated...Any behavior that attacks, obstructs or harms journalists is illegal and should be punished by law," an official with the State Press and Publications Administration told "Jinghua Shibao".

Recommended Action

Send appeals to the president:
- calling on the government to ensure that law enforcement authorities investigate the attack on Yang and prosecute those responsible
- urging him to guarantee that the right of all journalists to work freely and safely is protected by law

Appeals To

His Excellency Jiang Zemin
President, People's Republic of China
C/o Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Fax: +202 588 0032

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.