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Alert

Journalist detained, faces deportation, prevented from covering trial

(SEAPA/IFEX) - A foreign reporter who has been following a trial in Singapore was detained while attempting to re-enter the country on 24 September 2006, reports "The Epoch Times".

The newspaper, which has regional offices around the globe, said its reporter, Jaya Gibson, was to be deported on 25 September.

Gibson had returned from a brief trip to Europe to resume coverage of the case of two Falun Gong practitioners who had been arrested for putting up a banner outside the Chinese Embassy to protest the persecution of fellow practitioners.

Gibson claimed that the Singapore police have been monitoring him since he started reporting about the trial.

He had also reported on the Singapore government's heavily criticised restrictions on local and international protesters at the recently concluded International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings in the country.

According to "The Epoch Times", a Singapore immigration official refused to provide the reason for Gibson's detention and deportation.

Prior to the IMF and World Bank meetings, the Singapore government deported dozens of activists who had arrived to hold protests against the international bodies or even to observe the meetings.

Founded by Chinese journalists in 2000, "The Epoch Times" focuses on overseas reporting of the alleged human rights abuses committed by the Communist Party of China, especially the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.