Update | Indonesia denies curbing press freedom by revoking media passes of Hong Kong journalists
Indonesian official says expelled HK media staff posed security threat, while Aquino spokesman accuses Now TV journalists of 'crossing line'
Apec host Indonesia has denied stifling press freedom by barring Hong Kong journalists who "screamed" questions at Philippine president Benigno Aquino, saying they had posed a security threat.
"We deemed it improper for media to act that way, as they didn't talk normally but they were very demonstrative, like they were protesting," Indonesian communications ministry official Gatot Dewa Broto, who is in charge of the Apec media centre, said. "So we did this due to security concerns."
Aquino's spokesman, Ricky Carandang, meanwhile said the Now TV journalists had "crossed the line" by aggressively questioning the president about the Manila hostage siege in which eight Hongkongers were killed in a hijacked tour bus three years ago.
Amid strong criticism of press-freedom infringement, a female reporter and two cameramen sent to cover the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum in Bali were taken to a local police station about lunchtime yesterday.
The three, including the reporter and cameraman who covered Aquino's participation at a commercially-organised Apec CEO summit on Sunday, were stopped at a security checkpoint when they were returning to their hotel. They were later released but were asked to move out of the hotel as it was situated within the Apec restricted area.
The initial incident took place on Sunday, when reporters from Now TV, RTHK and Commercial Radio had their media badges confiscated by summit personnel after they had questioned Aquino in a non-restricted area.