30 August 2005

Alert

Authorities turn down request for defence lawyer for journalist Ching Cheong


Incident details

Ching Cheong

journalist(s)

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(RSF/IFEX) - On 17 August 2005, the Beijing State Security Bureau notified the wife of detained journalist Ching Cheong that her application to hire a lawyer to defend her husband against charges of spying for Taiwan had been rejected. RSF has voiced outrage at the Chinese authorities' decision.

"This flat refusal is yet further evidence that the Chinese judicial system constantly flouts the most basic rights of prisoners of conscience, foremost of which is the right to be represented by a lawyer and to receive visits," the organisation said.

The Hong Kong-based correspondent for Singapore's "Straits Times" daily, Ching faces the possibility of life imprisonment. No date has yet been announced for his trial.

According to the official news agency Xinhua, the Beijing State Security Bureau formally charged Ching with spying on 5 August. Arrested on 22 April in Guangzhou, Ching is accused of selling economic, political and military information to Taiwanese agents between 2000 and 2005.

Aged 55, Ching had gone to Guangzhou to recover documents concerning former Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang, who died in January. At the time of his death, Zhao was still under house arrest for negotiating with pro-democracy protesters in 1989.



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More on this case

Transfer of Ching Cheong case to state prosecutors increases likelihood he will be charged with spying, says CPJ 6 January 2006 Jailed Hong Kong reporter's case heads to prosecutors 3 January 2006 Detention of journalist Ching Cheong extended 13 December 2005 Journalist Ching Cheong imprisoned without lawyer for six months 24 October 2005 IFJ and HKJA call for fair trial in case of Hong Kong journalist accused of spying 8 August 2005 CPJ calls for immediate release of journalist being held on suspicion of espionage 1 June 2005 Hong Kong reporter detained by Chinese authorities 31 May 2005

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