多名香港記者在成都採訪譚作人案件判決時,一度被公安驅趕,期間公安對記者推撞、港台記者被取去電話並刪除片段,有線新聞的攝影師被三名公安抬起,強行帶入法院的一個房間,所有記者被限制行動直至案件判畢。香港記者協會對譚作人被以言入罪,判監五年表示憤慨,亦要求港澳辦及全國記者協會跟進及交代事件。
記協聲明全文:
香港記者協會對成都市中級人民法院判處四川維權人士譚作人入獄五年表示憤慨,記協譴責法院以譚作人撰寫的「六四」文章裁定他煽動顛覆國家政權罪名成立,是另一以言入罪的例證,強烈要求當局立即釋放譚作人。
記協亦譴責成都執法人員粗暴阻撓香港記者的採訪活動,認為此舉明顯是企圖掩蓋審訊事實的打壓採訪自由之舉,是理虧的表現。
據本會向現場記者了解,他們大清早已在法院外採訪,公安在旁監視,但在開審前一段短時間內,突然有大批公安從法院出來,強行要求記者進入法院一個辦公室內,拉扯間雙方發生肢體衝突,有記者受輕傷,並被帶往不同地方扣問,而在案件作出判決後約半小時,被扣記者亦獲得釋放。公安整項行動,明顯是企圖阻止記者採訪。
本會亦要求國務院港澳事務辦公室和全國記者協會跟進及交代事件,因為到場採訪記者均持有當局發出的常駐記者證,記者表露身分後,法院公安仍然以「無收到有人來採訪」為藉口,指記者不合法採訪。有關證件訂明,持證記者可以在全國非禁制區域自由採訪,推行至今已超過一年,法院公安仍然質疑未被預先通知而扣留記者查問,若非凸顯公安所用藉口的荒唐可笑,便是港澳辦和全國記協解釋及推行政策不力。
據辯護律師判刑後表示,譚作人是被控方以撰寫《1989:見證最後的美麗——一個目擊者的廣場日記》而裁定煽動顛覆國家政權罪成立,至於事前廣泛報道指譚作人是因批評四川地震豆腐渣工程以及調查地震中死難學童的事情,則未被控方提及。有關情況除反映審訊的黑箱作業外,其判刑的理由均是屬於言論自由的保障範疇,以此作為判刑依據,是公然侵擾《政治權利和公民權利國際公約》保障的人權。
再者,言論自由亦是中國憲法第三十五條賦予全體中國公民的基本權利和中國《國家人權行動計劃(2009–2010)》的承諾,理應受到尊重。
記協認為,中國法院的定罪是侵犯基本人權的莫須有罪名,判刑更是公然踐踏中國人權的可恥行為,是粗暴推翻政府承諾的失信之舉。
本會強烈要求司法當局立即釋放譚作人,放寬箝制言論自由的國家安全法例,讓人民享受應有權利,令國家重新踏上法治和以人為本的正確道路。
國際記者聯會讉責成都中級法院今天判處四川作家譚作人,以其接受境外媒體採訪及撰寫八九天安門屠殺事件的文章而被囚五年及剝奪政治權利三年。
此外,國際記者聯會對成都公安及法院人員阻礙香港媒體在法院門外自由採訪的行為,感到震駭。 2月9日 16:42
Bowtie is in helpless situation, he is subject to the central governmnet for everything. Reflecting this incident to the central goverment is the only action he can take ! 2月9日 17:43
FCC STATEMENT REGARDING THE MANHANDLING OF REPORTERS IN CHENGDU
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong, strongly condemns the manhandling of Hong Kong journalists by police in Chengdu. The reporters were seeking to interview writer Tan Zuoren’s lawyer and family members outside the courthouse.
Mr Tan has attempted to document the shoddy construction of schools in connection with the deaths of many schoolchildren in the Sichuan earthquake that killed an estimated 80,000 people. He has been reportedly sentenced to five years in prison for subversion. He was formally accused of inciting subversion of state power in regard to comments that he wrote in emails concerning the bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators at Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.
But Mr Tan's supporters say he has been detained because he was planning to issue an independent report on the collapse of school buildings during the earthquake.
Video taken at the scene in Chengdu clearly shows police grabbing and abusing the journalists. A Radio Television Hong Kong reporter had her camera-phone forcibly snatched away by police, and all the images were removed before the phone was returned.
The FCC deplores this mistreatment of our colleagues by the Chengdu authorities and we demand an official inquiry.
Tom Mitchell,
President
Francis Moriarty,
2nd Vice-President 2月9日 21:46