Cops revoke warrant for fugitive reporter

• Source: Global Times
• [01:09 July 30 2010]
• Comments

Weng's wife, surnamed Wu, said her husband was not acquainted with Qiu and did not tip off the reporter to wrongdoing, but merely reprinted Qiu's investigative reports online.

Police had charged that Weng posted messages about Kan's alleged wrongdoing in an effort to frame the company.

Both domestic and international media have been keeping a close eye on the investigative reporter's predicament.

"Qiu is lucky to have the media exposure because people are now concerned about him. But what about reporters without the opportunity to be known by the public?" a journalist told the Global Times on condition of anonymity.

Zhou Ze, a Beijing lawyer, said cancellation of the detention decision shows that progress is being made in the criminal justice system.

"I'm happy to see this progress. It was an abuse of power to place him on the wanted list but police corrected the error in time," Zhou said.

This is not just an arrest warrant for a journalist, but for all media investigating corruption in China, according to Wuyuesanren, a well-known critic.

"If a reporter chooses to keep silent under pressure, what will society be like? If investigative reporting is put on trial, please let's stand together in the dock," he wrote on his blog.