Beijing - A human rights watchdog called Friday on the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) to establish a mechanism for
reporting violations of media freedom in China.
Human Rights Watch said human rights groups had provided the
committee with 'extensive documentation' of abuses but insisted it
had to do more than state its 'disapproval' of attempts to hinder
journalists' work.
'The IOC's public expression of concern is welcome, but it won't
have any effect without real action,' said Sophie Richardson, Asia
advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. 'The International Olympic
Committee's failure to address this problem highlights the urgent
need for mechanisms to prevent further abuses.'
The committee should, therefore, establish a 24-hour hotline for
reporting abuses, demand the investigation of cases and press the
Chinese government to disclose the whereabouts of sources who
disappeared after giving interviews, the New York-based rights group
demanded.
Human Rights Watch said foreign journalists have complained of
increased harassment and surveillance since the start of the Beijing
Olympic Games, including attempts to intimidate them and their
sources by photographing and video-recording their movements.
This week, a British journalist was arrested and manhandled in
Beijing when reporting on a protest. In the restive north-western
region of Xinjiang, foreign journalists were harassed and detained
when attempting to report on events there.
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