By: E&P Staff The wife and daughter of Li Changqing, the Chinese journalist awarded one of the world?s most prestigious press freedom prizes, have been prevented from flying to Sweden to accept the honor on his behalf.
The Paris-based World Association of Newspapers (WAN) reports today that Bao Dinling and Li Sidi were briefly detained and questioned at Beijing Airport by police who confiscated their passports. Li is to be awarded the Golden Pen at the opening ceremonies of the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum before 1,800 newspaper publishers, chief editors, and other media execs.
Changqing, a reporter and deputy news director of the Fuzhou Daily in Fujian Province, was unable to obtain a passport. In February, he was released after serving a three-year sentence for ?fabricating and spreading false information? after he disclosed an outbreak of dengue fever before the health officials in his home town alerted the public.
?This is a scandalous new abuse of power by the Chinese authorities,? World Association of Newspapers CEO Timothy Balding said in a statement. WAN has awarded its 2008 Golden Pen of Freedom to the reporter, who was released in February after serving a three-year prison sentence. "Not content with repressing free information and locking up dozens of reporters, they have to persecute and restrict the movement of their families,? Balding added.
Chinese authorities have also ordered a boycott of the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum by Chinese media representatives.
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