Guangzhou ban on electric bikes faces court challenge
Guangdong authorities have issued a gag order forbidding local newspapers from reporting on a lawsuit challenging Guangzhou's ban on electric bicycles.
A source said the provincial propaganda department told local newspapers on Monday night not to cover the issue, which has received wide media coverage outside Guangdong.
Some newspapers had to pull their reports at the last minute and local websites, including the Yangcheng Evening News Group's YCWB.com and 21cn.com, were told to delete related stories from their sites. Sources said the wording used by the authorities was not very stern, but local officials in charge of the matter appeared to be 'tense'.
The order followed a hearing on Monday in the Panyu District People's Court of a lawsuit brought by the owner of a confiscated vehicle - the first legal challenge to the city government's ban on electric bicycles.
Ye Cunhuan, 41, said she applied to the court to have her electric bicycle returned after police took it on December 7, accusing her of 'adding an electric engine to a bicycle'.
Ms Ye said police then changed their reason for confiscating the bicycle, but refused to give it back.
