Freedom of Expression

On October 21 the Chinese language Web site Epoch Times reported that Zhao Yan's lawyer had told a Hong Kong newspaper that Chinese authorities had officially arrested Zhao Yan for disclosing state secrets. According to a New York Times report, Zhao's lawyer said his requests to see Zhao have been rejected, Zhao's family is legally barred from seeing him until the case is resolved, and the notice of Zhao's arrest did not explain what he was accused of doing.

The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television has issued a notice prohibiting the broadcasting of television programs dubbed in local Chinese dialects. The "Notice Regarding Strengthening the Administration of Broadcasting Dubbed Foreign Television Programs," (in Chinese) issued October 13 and published on SARFT's Web site, states that broadcasting such programs violates the spirit of the requirement in China's "Regulations on the Administration of Radio and Television" that "Radio and television stations shall promote the nation-wide use of the Mandarin dialect."

Citing unnamed sources in Beijing, Radio Free Asia reports that retired physician Jiang Yanyong continues to be subject to government surveillance and restrictions on his movements and personal interactions. RFA also reports that Jiang is not allowed to access the Internet from his home. Jiang Yanyong wrote a letter, dated February 2, 2004, to key Chinese government and Communist Party officials describing his eyewitness account of treating wounded patients who entered his surgery ward at PLA No 301 Hospital on June 4, 1989. The letter, which called on the Party to re-assess its official verdict on over the Tiananmen democracy movement, was posted on the Internet in early March 2004. Jiang was questioned shortly afterwards, and was detained along with his wife on June 1, 2004. According to Human Rights in China, he was detained while on his way to apply for a U.S. tourist visa. During his detention, Jiang was subjected to "education" sessions to change his view on Tiananmen.

An article posted on Xinhua's Web site provides the following description of how Chinese authorities are able to monitor and restrict the Internet activities of Internet cafe patrons in China:

The Epoch Times reported on October 9 that Jiao Guobiao, an associate professor in the Department of Journalism at Beijing University, has not been given any classes to teach this semester. According to the report, Jiao said he was notified of this on September 2, five days before classes were supposed to begin. Jiao was not given any reason, but he believes it was a result of his having published an article entitled "Repudiating the Central Propaganda Department," in which he criticized the way the Communist Party's Central Propaganda Department exercises control over the media and infringes on freedom of the press and freedom of speech.

The People's Daily reports that the State Council is in the process of drafting a national "Government Affairs Freedom of Information Law" that will require executive agencies to release information to the media unless there is a reason for withholding it. According to the article, under the draft law if an executive agency official refuses to release information on government activities without proper grounds, “media units” (i.e., China’s state-sponsored media) can go to court to compel disclosure. The article points out that the law faces obstacles, however, including the need to have appropriate regulations in place to "ensure that making information public can be carried out in a peaceful and just manner."

The People's Daily Web site has published a call by Wan Guisheng, a contributor to the People's Daily sister publication, "Market Report," for China to shut down all commercial Internet cafes. According to Wan, commercial Internet cafes pose a severe threat to China's youth, and because of their "mobile and hidden nature," the only effective way to confront the problems they cause is to shut them all down. Wan argues that the only entities that should be allowed to operate Internet cafes are "public service organs" and "social organizations" that are administered by government agencies.

Xinhua reports that China's Ministry of Public Security has begun offering rewards of up to US$240 to informers who provide police information regarding pornographic Web sites. According to Xinhua, as of October 8 police in China have shut down 1,125 pornographic Web sites.