On June 28, more than one-hundred Chinese journalists and scholars signed an open letter pledging a professional boycott of the Chongqing Morning Post, a commercial spin-off of the official Chongqing Daily, after the newspaper issued a statement on June 24 refuting alleged “fake reports” about police investigations of three of its employees suspected of sharing “unacceptable” content in the wake of a police raid of the Hilton Chongqing.
Journalists signing the statement argued that the June 24 statement by the Chongqing Morning Post violated the spirit of professional solidarity by attacking colleagues who were merely exercising a professional obligation to report the story of the police investigation.
According to a June 24 story from China’s Economic Observer newspaper, a reporter with the Chongqing Morning Post was sentenced to labor re-education after posting “unacceptable speech” on the Tianya Forum in the wake of the raid on the Hilton Chongqing.
The Economic Observer also said two other reporters from Chongqing Morning Post were taken in for questioning by police after sharing “unacceptable content” (不当内容) through the QQ instant messaging service.
The next day, June 25, the Beijing News confirmed that Chongqing Morning Post reporters Chen Songbo (陈宋波) and Qiu Jinyi (裘晋奕), and an employee for the paper’s website, Liao Yi (廖异), had been investigated. Chen and Qiu had reportedly returned to work, the newspaper said, while Liao was still being investigated.
Signers of the letter of boycott against the Chongqing Morning Post include many well-known liberal figures in China’s media.
A full translation of the letter follows:

Personal Letter of Sanction Concerning the Intimidation of Professional Colleagues by the Chongqing Morning Post
On June 24, the Chongqing Morning Post openly refuted an [alleged] rumor about one of its journalists being sentenced to re-education through labor, issuing a statement saying: “[Our newspaper] hopes that various media keep strictly to professional ethics, that they pay no heed to idle reports and do not transmit untrue information. As for those rumor-mongers who invent stories from nothing, our newspaper reserves the right to pursue the relevant persons and hold them legally responsible.”
We believe that the Chongqing Morning Post has engaged in the intimidation of its brother media and fellow journalists, that this intimidation does not accord with professional ethics and behavior, and that it must therefore by condemned.
Even as the Chongqing Morning Post has issued its refutation, it has not yet made any statements concerning the specific nature of the situation, or concerning what faces the three reporters who have been investigated by Chongqing police. In fact, police in Chongqing have been more forthcoming than the Chongqing Morning Post, openly confirming that three Morning Post reporters have been investigated and suggesting that rumors that a journalist had been sentenced to re-education through labor were not entirely unfounded. The brief report from a journalist with the Economic Observer [that in part prompted the refutation from Chongqing Morning Post] stated clearly in its text that it would “follow up with further news reports,” and that “this information has not been confirmed by official sources.” This accords entirely with [the spirit of] follow-up reporting and can be regarded as professional journalism conduct satisfying the public’s right to know. It accords with normal fact seeking and follow-up reporting, and is not “fake news” [as the Chongqing Morning Post has suggested]. As the journalists are being investigated by the police, and in a high-risk environment in which the outcome is difficult to foresee, the early entry of professional journalism colleagues (“brother media”), which can push transparent handling of the situation through open reporting, is necessary to safeguard the [the rights of the] journalists. This is a moving act of mutual aid and regard.
However, toward this just action by brother media, the Chongqing Morning Post shows contempt with its so-called statement of refutation. Just as universities have an obligation to protect their students and professors, media have an obligation to protect their own editors and reporters. The recent move by China Economic Times editor Bao Yueyang to protect the right of Wang Keqin (王克勤) to carry out normal reporting activities [in the fallout resulting from Wang’s report on the problem vaccines in Shanxi Province earlier this year], and the protection of its own by the Nanfang Daily Group in the misfortunes that followed [the reporting of] the Sun Zhigang affair [in 2003], have both drawn respect and praise from journalism colleagues around the country. Of course, we also know that not all of those responsible at our media have this level of moral consciousness, and that they must do the bidding of power in order to protect their own official status. This is something we can understand to a certain degree. But regardless of this, they must submit themselves to rule and control to an unlimited extent.
不能臣服chen fu/submit oneself to the rule of到毫无气节的程度。
Not only is Chongqing Morning Post incapable of protecting its own journalists, and not only has it proven incapable of revealing the truth, but it goes as far as to carry out threats and intimidation against its brother media and professional colleagues. Facing open suppression of speech, it elects not to huddle together in professional solidarity, but quite the opposite strikes out against its own colleagues in the profession. These unimaginable actions leave us angry and cold in our hearts.
Under the current system, it is difficult indeed to find restitution for violations of our rights and interests. However, we can still express our positions in a personal capacity. We can decide to stand up and protect ourselves. Beginning here, we make our professional principles clear, guard our professional honor and dignity, and build anew our professional community (职业共同体).
For this, we call on our media colleagues to involve themselves in the investigation of the facts in this case to the widest extent possible, getting to the bottom of the unfolding events. We announce that from this day forward, we will engage in no personal cooperation with Chongqing Morning Post on no level, including but not limited to:
1. Not subscribing to Chongqing Morning Post
2. Not participating in any meetings or other activities sponsored by Chongqing Morning Post
3. Not publishing any works in any form in Chongqing Morning Post
4. Not having any other business cooperation with Chongqing Morning Post
The abovementioned personal sanctions will considered in effect up until the point that the Chongqing Morning Post issues a public explanation and apology to its brother media and fellow journalists concerning its so-called statements denouncing rumors.
June 28, 2010
SIGNED . . .
白振侠 北京 自由职业者
陈斌 广州 媒体人
陈鸣 北京 媒体人
陈思 广州 媒体人
陈初越 广州 媒体人
陈江 北京 媒体人
陈卫民 北京 思考者
崔卫平 北京 学者
邓志新 广州 媒体人
邓飞 北京 媒体人
邓莉 重庆 新闻专业研究生
戴志勇 广州 媒体人
大雪封山 北京 媒体人
董啸 长春 媒体人
丰鸿平 北京 媒体人
顾海兵 北京 学者
韩洪刚 广州 媒体人
郝建 北京 学者
何雪峰 广州 媒体人
何忠洲 北京 媒体人
何满　广州　媒体人
韩浩月 北京 媒体人
航亿苇 广州 作家
华新民 北京 学者
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