06 February 2008
RWB condemn Beijing for failing Olympic promises
(RWB) Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has condemned the Chinese government for failing to live up to its promises in the run up to the Beijing Olympics. According to a statement released by RWB, the Chinese authorities gave very specific promises in 2001 in order to win the games for Beijing. They said the holding of the games would "help improve human rights" and that there would be "total press freedom" before and during the games. RWB claim "none of this has happened". They also say that about 80 journalists and Internet users are currently imprisoned in China, and a total of 180 foreign reporters were arrested, attacked or threatened in China in 2007. The group says that three Tibetans were also given long prison sentences last year because of reports about repressions they had sent abroad.