聯署：保障公民知情權，捍衛採訪自由　Petition - Safeguard Citizens’ Right to Know, Uphold Press Freedom

我們強烈抗議內地部門接二連三阻撓以至打壓香港新聞工作者在內地採訪的自由。

新聞自由是保障公民知情權的必要條件，是文明社會不容挑戰的核心價值。

然而，近日先有記者被內地執法部門懷疑「藏毒」，繼有3名記者和攝影師在烏魯木齊現場合法採訪過程中，遭當地武警扣押和毆打，至9月8日烏魯木齊新聞辦主任候漢敏女士在記者會上，指稱上述3名記者當天跟縱拍攝，對遊行人士指手劃腳，有煽動鬧事之嫌。

我們關注香港新聞從業員在內地工作時的人身安全。對香港記者在內地採訪的自由受到粗暴的干預，我們深表震驚及遺憾。

我們要求特區政府反映港人的關注，向中央政府及烏魯木齊新聞辦發出強烈抗議，停止一切的暴力及干預。

我們要求檢討有關制度，保障香港新聞從業員在內地工作時應該享有的權利、自由和人身安全。

發起人：
浸會大學新聞系杜耀明
浸會大學政治及國際關係學系陳家洛
香港理工大學應用社會科學學系何芝君
嶺南大學文化研究系梁旭明
香港中文大學教育學院蔡寶瓊

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We hereby issue a strong protest against the repeated moves taken by mainland authorities to obstruct and even clamp down on the reporting work of Hong Kong journalists on the mainland.

Press freedom is a necessary condition for citizens’ right to know. It is therefore one of the core attributes of a civilized society.

Recently, however, Hong Kong reporters were first accused by mainland authorities of “suspected possession of drugs”. Then three journalists were beaten up and detained by military police while covering mass protests in Urumqi. On Sept 8th, Hou Hanmin, an Information Office spokesperson in Urumqi, went even further to say that those three journalists were “gesturing to the protestors”, and therefore suspected to be “inciting” the crowd.

We are very concerned about the personal safety of Hong Kong journalists who are working on the mainland. We are deeply shocked by the violent obstruction of their freedom to report while covering news on the mainland.

We ask the SAR government to clearly express these concerns on behalf of the people of Hong Kong by sending a strong protest to the Central Government and the Information Office of Urumqi, as well as a demand that such violence and interference be stopped immediately.

We ask for a thorough review of the system and procedures concerning press reporting in order to ensure the rights, freedom and personal safety of Hong Kong reporters working on the mainland.

Initiators:
To Yiu Ming, Dept of Journalism, HK Baptist University
Chan Ka Lok, Dept of Politics & International Relationships
Ho Chi Kwan, Dept of Applied Social Sciences, HK Polytechnic University
Leung Yuk Ming, Dept of Cultural Studies, Lingnan University
Choi Po King, Dept of Educational Administration & Policy, Chinese U of HK