Campaigns
China - Campaign Olympic Games 2008
As China prepares to host the next Olympic Games in Beijing in August 2008, the attitude
of the Chinese government towards press freedom, journalists rights and censorship will be under the international spotlight. Unlike countries that have used increasing economic prosperity to strengthen democratic rule, the Chinese government has maintained a political monopoly, providing little opportunity for the media and public to press for government accountability and transparency.
Human rights abuses and continued attacks on press freedom have made it increasingly difficult for journalists and media workers to report accurately and fairly on the workings of their government and country without fear of retribution or imprisonment. Local journalists who report on politically sensitive issues are targeted, and foreign journalists will face similar pressures when they arrive in Beijing to report on the Games.
To support journalists who report in and about China, the IFJ is running a campaign:
Open and Free – Towards a Democratic Media Culture in China
The campaign will to strengthen conditions for independent and professional journalism in China. The campaign will work with IFJ affiliates in the region and throughout the world to create an active monitoring network to report on media rights violations. Through the reporting and publication of repressive actions against journalists, the network will exert greater pressure on the government and thus contribute to a more free and democratic China for the future.
The IFJ has launched its inaugural Open and Free - Towards a Democratic Media Culture in China monthly bulletin on March 8 to mark five months until the beginning of the Beijing Olympics. The IFJ welcomes all contributions from the press freedom community. Please send information to ifjchina@ifj-asia.org.
- To read the IFJ's latest alerts on China, click here.
- To read the latest monthly China bulletin in English, Traditional Chinese, or Simplified Chinese, click here.
- To visit Play the Game for Open Journalism, an information portal for journalists covering the Olympics hosted by the IFJ and Play the Game, click the logo below.
May 2008 earthquake in Sichuan: Special Safety information for journalists
The earthquake which struck Sichuan on May 12 2008 brought foreign and local journalists pouring into the province. The IFJ re-issued its Safety Code of Practice along with supplementary information focused on coverage of the disaster. Materials were distributed to IFJ affiliates the Hong Kong Journalists' Association and Association of Taiwan Journalists, as well as to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong and the All China Journalists’ Association.
IFJ Safety Code in Traditional Chinese
Supplementary earthquake information in Traditional Chinese
IFJ Safety Code in Simplified Chinese