IOC condemns arrest of journalist
15/08/2008IOC Communications Director Giselle Davies has openly criticised Chinese authorities for detaining journalist John Ray of ITV News, though refused to comment upon whether the IOC is embarrassed by the Chinese governments performance with regard to promises on press freedom and human rights.
"The IOC does disapprove of any attempts to hinder a journalist who is going about doing his job seemingly within the rules and regulations," said Davies at Thursday's IOC/BOCOG press conference.
"This, we hope, has been addressed. We don't want to see this happening again."
Ray's arrest was not an isolated incident, with the FCCC confirming four other incidents between 7 to 12 August.
The incident prompted a journalist from UK TV station Channel 4 to ask at Davies a joint IOC/BOCOG press conference whether the IOC is embarrassed by the performance of the Chinese government with regard to human rights and press freedom pledges made before the Games. However, Davies refrained to answer, despite the question being repeated four times.
The incident occurred when Ray was filming a protest by Tibetan independence activists in Tiananmen Square.
Ray is believed to have been mistaken for one of the protestor he and his film crew were filming.
In news footage released by ITV News, Ray is shown being forced into a police van despite presenting evidence to police officers to affirm his accreditation as a journalist.
ITV video of the incident released on Youtube
