18 May 2006

Alert

"New York Times" researcher Zhao Yan indicted again


Incident details

Zhao Yan

media worker(s)

charged
(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 17 May 2006 CPJ press release:

China indicts Times researcher Zhao Yan again

New York, May 17, 2006 - The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the continued imprisonment of New York Times researcher Zhao Yan, who has been re-indicted on charges of fraud and revealing state secrets. The Times reported the reinstated charges today. Zhao has been imprisoned for 21 months without once appearing before a judge.

Charges against Zhao were dropped in March prior to the visit to the United States of Chinese President Hu Jintao. The U.S. government has repeatedly lobbied for the journalist's release. But contrary to expectations, Zhao has remained jailed.

The researcher was detained in September 2004 in connection with a Times article correctly predicting the retirement of former president Jiang Zemin from his final government position at the head of the Central Military Commission. Zhao was held for months without access to a lawyer, and prosecutors have never presented any evidence of his involvement in fraud or leaking state secrets.

The Times has said that Zhao provided no state secrets to the newspaper.

"We condemn the outrageous and unjust imprisonment of our colleague," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. "The jailing of ZhaoYan not only has a chilling effect on foreign media reporting in China, it illustrates the dangers that all Chinese journalists routinely face in doing their jobs."

At least 32 journalists were imprisoned in China at year's end in 2005, according to CPJ research. The list includes two journalists employed by foreign news publications: Zhao and Straits Times correspondent Ching Cheong.

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



Source:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
 

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More on this case

"New York Times" researcher Zhao Yan tried quickly behind closed doors, without witnesses appearing in court 19 June 2006 Renewed judicial proceedings against detained researcher called "aberration" 19 April 2006 Charges dropped against journalist Zhao Yan of "The New York Times" 17 March 2006 Trials of Zhao Yan and Ching Cheong adjourned for lack of evidence 24 February 2006 "New York Times" researcher Zhao Yan charged with leaking state secrets 27 December 2005 "New York Times" researcher Zhao Yan marks one year in custody 20 September 2005 New accusation extends jail time without trial for "New York Times" researcher 3 June 2005 CPJ calls for journalist Zhao Yan's release on six-month anniversary of his arrest 18 March 2005 "New York Times" researcher formally arrested 22 October 2004 CPJ protests journalist's detention 27 September 2004

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