News
Seven men sentenced to jail over killing of investigative reporter covering
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Jul 3, 2007 - 9:44:14 PM

As Global Media Safety Crisis Deepens IFJ Welcomes Jailing of Chinese Boss
Who Ordered Reporter Killed

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed the news
that Chinese authorities have sentenced to jail seven men for the deadly
beating of a Chinese investigative reporter outside of an illegal coal
mine.

"This is a major blow to those who think they can order the killings of
journalists with impunity," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. "It is
a welcome sign that governments are starting to take the media safety
crisis seriously. With more than 100 journalists and media staff already
killed this year this action is long overdue."

Reporter Lan Chengzhang died in early January after he was beaten outside
the mine in Shanxi province. Hou Zhenrun, the head of the mine, was
sentenced to life in prison for ordering the attack, according to press
reports. Five men who carried out the assault were given sentences of
between five to 15 years in jail and another man received a year sentence
for harbouring the suspects.

The IFJ believes Chengzhang's killing was a brutal warning to other
journalists who are probing and exposing the horrifying realities of the
price being paid by workers in the dramatic expansion of the Chinese
economy. He was the third journalist to be violently murdered in China
within a year, said the IFJ.

At first officials tried to play down the incident, but after a public
outcry in the region over the murder police started to take the
investigation seriously. "We hope that this case is a sign that the Chinese
government is ready to do more to protect independent, investigative
journalism," said White.

The IFJ and the International News Safety Institute this week announced
that unexplained and untimely deaths of media staff in 2007 have already
reached three figures. The number of killings and deaths this year is
expected to be significantly higher than the record level of 177 last year.

"Journalism is more powerful than ever, but the killers are more ruthless,
more desperate and more daring," said White. "That's why every action to
challenge impunity and to bring the killers to justice must be applauded."

The IFJ represents about 600,000 journalists in 115 countries worldwide.