Beijing, [China] August 29: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that independent journalist Gao Yu’s internet, landline, and mobile phone connections were cut off by Chinese authorities this week.
This came after she published an article analysing an Al Jazeera interview with Victor Gao, deputy director of the Chinese think tank, the China and Globalisation Centre.
CPJ China director Iris Xu criticized the move and called for Gao Yu’s communications services to be restored and for the harassment through physical and digital surveillance to end.
“Chinese authorities must restore internet and telephone services to journalist Gao Yu and stop harassing him. Beijing’s overreach in controlling dissent reflects the country’s insecurity and fear of critical reporting,” Xu said.
CPJ reported that Gao said authorities have pressured her for years to close her X account. She believes her posts, including those sharing her articles, are responsible for cutting off her internet and phone access. She now has to use the internet from friends’ houses or restaurants.
The report also said Beijing police told Gao to leave the capital from Aug. 29 to Sept. 9 to coincide with the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation, a major national economic conference. When Gao refused, police warned her they would take turns guarding her home to prevent her from leaving the country, a tactic commonly used against dissidents in China.
Notably, Ko was sentenced to six years in prison for “leaking state secrets” in 1994 and was released on medical parole in 1999 after serving part of his sentence. In 2015, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for the same offense, but his sentence was reduced to five years due to his deteriorating health, and he served the remainder of his sentence outside prison.
China’s repression of journalists includes arbitrary detention, comprehensive surveillance, harsh punishments, enforced self-censorship, strict reporting restrictions, and intimidation tactics that often extend to journalists’ families and associates.
Physical violence and harassment are also used to censor information and silence dissent.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and without being reviewed by an editor.
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