China Seeks To Silence Journalists

Mar 3, 2011 by James

China is currently changing the rules for the way journalists can operate within the Communist country in response to recent uprisings in the Middle East. Tourist areas once open to journalists now have the same restrictions in place as more controversial areas like Tibet. The Chinese government says such places are “sensitive” and off limits to foreigners. Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu accused some journalists of deliberately starting trouble while covering the pro-democracy protests. Now Journalists can be banned from the country if they cover pro-democracy protests under the new rules.

Journalists who violate these new “rules” will not be covered under Chinese media laws; who knew those existed? Journalists who do abide by the laws and abandon true journalism all together will be covered under Chinese media laws according to Jiang. These new rules are in direct response to Chinese calls for a “jasmine revolution” upon which China immediately beefed up their police presence in the cities where rallies were to take place. Searches for “jasmine” or “revolution” were completely blocked in the country as well as all coverage of the uprisings in the Middle East. Police are now warning all journalists to abide by the new rules or risk having their work visa shredded and being booted from the country.

During the calls for the jasmine revolution more than 16 journalists were harassed by Chinese police and one American was placed in the hospital after suffering a brutal beating at the hands of uniformed police. In many of the areas where protests were to take place journalists noted that there were few if any protesters however hundreds of police officers were on site. Journalists were previously given permission to interview Chinese citizens as long as the person had given consent. A law that was put in place after the Beijing Olympics. Now if they wish to conduct interviews they must receive official permission from the oppressive government. According to some it is business as usual in other parts of the country but any requests to report at protest areas has been denied.

China is terrified that protests like the ones seen in Egypt and Libya will sweep across their nation and they have acted swiftly to cut off all possible information sources. If you asked someone in China who was in power in Egypt I can guarantee 99% of them would say Mubarak. The fact that any government would be so terrified of anti-government protests shows just how unstable the situation really is in China. The simple fact that the government is moving to forever silence voices of dissent within their country should be enough for the people to revolt but they have no clue. No one can report what’s happening. Journalists within China should just leave now as they will never be able to actually report anything beyond birds that can talk.

Source: VOA