Journalist John Ray of ITV and Guardian photographer Dan Chung have both reported being ‘manhandled’ by the Chinese police while covering a pro-Tibet protest in Beijing. Ray was also detained by police who claimed to have mistaken him for an activist, despite his having shown identification which proved otherwise. Seven activists present at the protest were also detained, including six Americans and a Japanese citizen of Tibetan descent.
China’s control of its national media has also been questioned. A Hong-Kong based newspaper has alleged that a 21-point list of prohibited topics was issued to editors and journalists by the propaganda bureau, including information regarding a dancer who was paralysed during rehearsals for the opening ceremony. This was refuted by the Beijing Olympic committee. The committee’s PR representatives also denied that Chinese journalists’ recording equipment and notebooks were confiscated following a press conference, called to discuss the stabbing of an American tourist linked to the US men’s volleyball team. Doubt is also being cast over China’s prior claims to be upholding human rights. Human Rights Watch has reported that two Chinese citizens who applied to use the authorised ‘protest zones’ have been detained. Zhang Wei was arrested at her home on 6 August. Ji Sizun was arrested on 11 August when checking his application status at a police station. The treatment of the Uighur population is also changing through dramatic increases in level of surveillance and control, observed in reports from Beijing and the Xinjiang province, where Uighur’s say they fear to speak out.
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