European Union condemns China media ‘harassment’ after BBC journalist leaves country following legal threats
- John Sudworth said he had quit China for Taiwan – along with his Irish journalist wife – after a ‘full-on propaganda attack’ from the authorities due to his reporting on Xinjiang rights abuses
- Chinese state media and officials allegedly attacked Sudworth for his investigation of reported forced labour practices targeting Uygur Muslim minorities in Xinjiang’s cotton industry
The European Union on Friday condemned the “harassment” of foreign journalists in China after a BBC correspondent left the country in the face of legal threats and pressure from authorities.
John Sudworth said he had quit China for Taiwan – along with his Irish journalist wife – after a “full-on propaganda attack” from the authorities due to his reporting on Xinjiang rights abuses and the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is the latest case of foreign correspondents being driven out of China as a result of continuous harassment and obstruction to their work, coming on top of the expulsion of at least 18 correspondents last year,” a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.
“The EU has repeatedly expressed its concerns to the Chinese authorities at the undue working restrictions imposed on foreign journalists and reported related harassment.”
“Foreign correspondents play an important role in imparting information across frontiers and contributing to strengthening mutual understanding between the EU and China.”
Press freedom groups say the space for reporters to operate in China is increasingly tightly controlled, with journalists followed on the streets, suffering harassment online and refused visas.