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Alert

Journalist injured in arrest, detention

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is a 5 November 2008 IFJ media release:

IFJ Condemns Police Attack on Documentary Maker in Taiwan

The International Federation of Journalists condemns a violent attack on an independent documentary filmmaker by police in Taipei yesterday

According to the Association of Taiwan Journalists (ATJ), an IFJ affiliate, documentary filmmaker Chen Yu-ching was set upon by police after filming protests on November 4 at the Grand Hotel, Taipei, over the visit of a mainland China government envoy.

A group of police officers reportedly forced her into a police vehicle and detained her for over an hour at Yuanshan Precinct police station after she refused to produce her identification.

The ATJ reports that Chen sustained heavy bruising in several places and was later examined in hospital to rule out serious injury.

The visit of the envoy from mainland China to meet with negotiators from Taiwan's government has sparked protests at the Grand Hotel and elsewhere in Taipei, prompting a heavy police presence.

Chen was reportedly visiting a friend in the vicinity when she saw the protesters and began filming. Chen said that many others were also taking photographs and filming.

"This violent attack raises grave concerns for independent reporting in Taiwan," said IFJ Asia-Pacific.

"There can be no excuse for this kind of heavy-handed interference in reporting."

The IFJ joins the ATJ in condemning the police attack on Chen and demands an immediate investigation into this interference in Taiwan's media.

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries