26 December 2015 China
China has effectively expelled a French
journalist over an article she wrote that was
critical of Beijing's policy towards Muslim
Uighers in Xinjiang.
Beijing confirmed it would not renew press
credentials for Ursula Gauthier, of the French
news magazine L'Obs.
It said an article she wrote about the unrest in
Xinjiang supported "terrorism and cruel acts"
that killed people.
Ms Gauthier called the claims "absurd" and
said Beijing was trying to "deter" foreign
reporters in the country.
If her press card is not renewed, Ms Gauthier
cannot apply for a new visa, and will have to
leave China by 31 December.
She would be the first foreign journalist to be
expelled since Al Jazeera correspondent
Melissa Chan in 2012.
China blames the long-running unrest in
western autonomous Xinjiang region on
Islamist separatists, many of whom it says
have foreign ties.
But Xinjiang's ethnic Uighurs, most of whom
are Muslim, say Beijing's repression of their
religious and cultural customs is provoking
the violence.
Ms Gauthier published her article after the
attacks in Paris in November, suggesting
China's solidarity with France might have an
ulterior motive, to justify its own crackdowns
in Xinjiang.
The article triggered condemnation from the
Chinese government and state media who
demanded an apology and retraction from her.
China's foreign ministry on Saturday
confirmed it would not renew Ms Gauthier's
press card, saying she had failed to make a
"serious apology" to the Chinese people and
was no longer "suitable" to continue working
in the country.
"China will never support the freedom to
champion terrorism," it said.
The foreign ministry complained of a double
standard whereby tough action in the West is
called anti-terrorism but in China is described
as the repression of ethnic minorities.
But Ms Gauthier called the accusations
"absurd" and said she was being asked to
apologise "for things that I have not written".
She told the Associated Press she feared the
move was "only meant to deter foreign
correspondents in the future in Beijing".
