H.E. Hu Jintao
President
Office of the President
Zhonganahai
Beijing 100017
People@quot;s Republic of China
Your Excellency:
We write to express the Overseas Press Club@quot;s serious concern about escalating threats to press freedom in Hong Kong. In recent weeks, three of Hong Kong@quot;s leading radio talk show hosts have left their radio programs. Each said that they or their families had been harassed and threatened with reprisals, in some cases from Chinese government-affiliated officials.
Prominent commentators, Albert Cheng King-hon, Wong Yuk-man and former legislator Allen Lee Peng-fei were all associated with calls for greater democracy and transparency in government. All dropped their popular radio programs within weeks of each other — a pattern which has been interpreted in Hong Kong as intended to intimidate their listeners, other journalists and the public at large, particularly ahead of this September@quot;s Legislative Council elections.
Mr. Cheng and Mr. Wong left their radio shows after the two broadcasters received threats against them and their families. The designated replacement for Mr. Cheng, Allen Lee, told a panel of Hong Kong@quot;s Legislative Council that a mainland official telephoned him to discuss his wife and daughter, after which he stepped away from the radio show.
The Overseas Press Club of America, an independent organization that has defended press freedom around the world for 65 years, asks that the Hong Kong government investigate the three cases of apparent journalist intimidation, and publicly affirm that journalists will be allowed to do their vital work free of threats and pressure. Any political threats from China against Hong Kong journalists are a clear violation of the ?one country, two systems? policy, as well as the assurances made in the 1984 Joint Declaration and the Basic Law that press freedom would continue after the transfer of sovereignty. We also request that the Chinese government investigate any threats from mainland officials against Hong Kong journalists.
Failure to affirm and assure press freedom and freedom of speech in Hong Kong will certainly undermine international confidence in Hong Kong, and the confidence of international and local news organizations that they can continue to operate there freely.
We look forward to your positive reply.
Respectfully yours,
Minky Worden
Larry Martz
Freedom of the Press Committee