Through ‘confessions’ and TV trials, the CCP is seeking to discredit human rights activists and lawyers. Sadly, some media outlets in Taiwan and Hong Kong have no compunction in spreading the message.
The News ense
Date: 2016/08/16
By: J. Michael Cole
The International Federation of Journalists (IFEX), an organization that defends and
Photo Credit: Reuters/達志影像
promotes freedom of expression worldwide, has accused Taiwanese and Hong Kong media of complicity in China’s campaign to discredit its critics.
IFEX states that on Aug. 1, two Hong Kong outlets, the Oriental Daily and Phoenix Television, were granted exclusive rights by Chinese authorities to broadcast the “confession” of human rights lawyer Wang Yu (王宇), who had been in detention since July 2015 on allegations of subverting the state power. One hour later, the Shanghai-based online magazine The Paper also ran the “exclusive,” along with video footage of Wang’s “confession.”
In her “confession,” Wang denounced Zhou Shifeng (周世鋒), the head of the Beijing-based Fengrui law firm, which specializes in human rights cases and has been one of the main targets of China’s crackdown on activists, as an “unqualified lawyer.” [FULL STORY]
