China massively restricts freedom of movement of foreign journalists
China's police have radically restricted the freedom of movement of foreign correspondents. In future, journalists will have to obtain permission from local authorities before reporting in China.
Dozens of correspondents were told this in briefings and interrogations at the police station. They were even threatened with imprisonment and deportation if they did not comply, correspondents reported on Thursday, according to SDA. Contrary to the previous rules that only the consent of the interviewee is required for interviews, the authority responsible for the public square or residential area must now also grant permission. "Journalists have been told that the requirement to obtain permission before reporting in public places applies to the whole of China," reported the Foreign Correspondents Association (FCCC).
Dozens of journalists have been summoned to Beijing and Shanghai in recent days. They were accused of violating Chinese regulations by appearing at the planned location of the protests, although the tightening of these regulations was only communicated afterwards.
China's Foreign Ministry defended the new approach to foreign journalists. It is not a change, not a step backwards. It is just a step forward, said spokeswoman Jiang Yu to the press in Beijing. Local authorities had made detailed regulations on the implementation of the rules.
