Police detain 4 reporters

• Source: Global Times
• [02:26 August 30 2010]
• Comments

"After the accident, reporters were not allowed to interview injured passengers at the hospital," said Cui Muyang, a reporter with the Beijing News. "They said it in the name of victims' families."

"The police blocked us from entering the scene. They are afraid of cameras," Wang Wei, a journalist from the Shanghai-based Dongfang Daily, told the Global Times.

They are trampling on the public's right to know, as journalists have a responsibility to play a supervisory role for the public, Chen Zuoping, a journalism professor with the Communication University of China, told the Global Times.

"As long as journalists report in a legal and reasonable manner, there is no reason to detain them," Chen said.

At a national meeting in Beijing on lawful administration on Friday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiaobao urged government departments to protect civilians' rights to directly supervise the government, and support media exposure on illegal activities and improper behavior by government officials.

Peng Pu contributed to this story