New York, September 26, 2016 - The International Civil Aviation Organization should allow journalists to cover its events regardless of where they are from or where their employers are located, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The UN agency, which is responsible for setting global safety standards, yesterday refused to accredit two journalists for Taiwanese media to cover the organization's 39th Triennial Assembly, according to their employers.
Typically, news organizations like to promote original reporting. When an outlet covers a breaking news event at the time and from the place where the event is happening, they want their audience to know. However, for Chinese commercial media that covered this weekend's presidential election in Taiwan, this was apparently not the case.
Three journalists were arrested in Taiwan's capital, Taipei, on July 23, 2015 while covering a student protest, according to reports. Liao Chen-hui, a photographer for Liberty Times, Sung Hsiao-hai, a reporter for Coolloud Collective, and freelance reporter Lin Yu-yu were released without charge the following day, according to reports.
Political tensions are rising in Taiwan ahead of local and municipal elections due at the end of November. The vote is expected to test the popularity of the ruling Kuomintang Party (KMT), which advocates greater integration with China and which earlier this year sparked protests when it tried to pass a new economic cooperation deal with the mainland. The vote also comes as the Taiwanese are closely watching how Beijing responds to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
A media buyout in Taiwan which would put independent news outlets
critical of China into the hands of a pro-Beijing media tycoon is cause for
concern for the island's press. Jimmy Lai, the outspoken mogul behind Hong
Kong-based Next Media and the Apple Daily
tabloid, is selling his Taiwan holdings to a group of businessmen that includes Tsai Eng-meng, whose China Times Media group is supportive of China, according
to local and international news reports.
As business relations develop between China and Taiwan,
concerns are growing that Taiwan's media freedom may be compromised. The culprits
include some journalists themselves, promoting China to preserve their own
business interests, and Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) government, apparently
attempting to exert control over the media through legislation.
China Daily filed
an appeal on July 2, 2009, challenging the Taiwanese government's decision to revoke
distribution rights of the Beijing-based English-language newspaper in Taiwan,
according to international news reports.
Do you believe the free flow of information must be protected? Sign the #RightToReport petition and demand that President Obama immediately:
1. Issue a presidential policy directive prohibiting the hacking and surveillance of journalists and media organizations.
2. Limit aggressive prosecutions that ensnare journalists and intimidate whistleblowers.
3. Prevent the harassment of journalists at the U.S. border.
Or click here to see the full petition, and join leading journalists like Christiane Amanpour, The Guardian’s Alan Rusbridger, Editor of the AP Kathleen Carroll, and Arianna Huffington in signing on.
