6 January 2006

Alert

Transfer of Ching Cheong case to state prosecutors increases likelihood he will be charged with spying, says CPJ


Incident details

Ching Cheong

journalist(s)

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a CPJ press release:

CHINA: Investigators hand Ching Cheong's case to prosecutors

New York, January 5, 2006 - The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the continuing prosecution of Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong, whose case has been handed by investigators to state prosecutors. This increases the likelihood that Ching will be charged with spying for Taiwan, his wife Mary Lau told CPJ. The investigation period for his case ended on December 30.

Ching, China correspondent for the Singapore-based daily The Straits Times, has been held since April 22, 2005 in Beijing without charges or defense counsel. He was detained while seeking transcripts of interviews with ousted former leader Zhao Ziyang, Lau said. Zhao spent 15 years under house arrest for opposing the military crackdown at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

"Ching Cheong's detention for eight months without access to a lawyer is a gross violation of due process," said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper. "The Chinese authorities have not produced a shred of evidence against this respected journalist and should release him immediately."

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.cpj.org.



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Updates to this story

Liu Jianhua receives 20-year sentence for "revealing state secrets"; Ching Cheong spends his 57th birthday in prison 28 December 2006 Court rejects journalist Ching Cheong's appeal, confirms five-year prison term 27 November 2006 Court decides not to hold any hearings when considering journalist Ching Cheong's appeal 1 November 2006 Journalist Ching Cheong to appeal against unfair verdict 11 September 2006

More on this case

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 Authorities turn down request for defence lawyer for journalist Ching Cheong 30 August 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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