Four journalists with the German TV station ARD had to abandon an
attempt to meet Yuan Weijing, the wife of imprisoned lawyer and human
rights activist Chen Guangcheng, on 24 January. As they approached her
home in a village in the eastern province of Shandong, their way was
blocked by thugs hired by the local authorities, who threw stones at
them.
Reporters Without Borders deplores this latest violation of
foreign journalists’ rights with less than seven months to go before
the Olympic Games.
Yuan had posted an open letter to President
Hu Jintao online on 21 January calling for imprisoned activist Hu Jia’s
release and saying all he did was “tell the entire world what is
happing in China.” Jia Jianying, the wife of imprisoned dissident He
Depu, said: “The authorities should release all imprisoned dissidents
before the Olympic Games but instead they are arresting more and more
of them. This is completely contrary to the Olympic Spirit.”
Hu’s
wife, Zeng Jinyan, is meanwhile still unable to talk freely to the
foreign journalists who try to approach her apartment block. Some 20
police are permanently stationed around her home and prevent anyone
from contacting her.
