Chinese Reporters Beaten and Robbed in Anhui Government Compound

April 18, 2005

Chinese news media reported April 18 that two reporters with Anhui Television were beaten and robbed of their photographic equipment while inside a Linquan county government compound. The report did not say whether or not the attackers were government employees, but simply stated that the reporters were attempting to leave the compound after having been refused an interview with a government official when "more than 10 people came rushing out of the county government compound, forced the reporters' hands behind their backs, and snatched their camera equipment." According to the report, the reporters went to the police, but a government official refused to return pictures containing official materials, and demanded that the reporters apologize.