Journalists in Yichun Protest Over False Imprisonment

(Yichun) – Four journalists were arrested by Yichun police on August 28 after seeking information on the deadly Heilongjiang air crash. Local police arrested and interrogated them after the reporters sought to interview individuals at a funeral parlor where the victim’s bodies were sent for identification.

Journalists crowded into the police station to protest over false imprisonment/ Caixin

Almost 20 journalists covering the Yichun air crash went to the police station and protested for seven hours, first negotiating for the release of the journalists and then demanding an apology for the mistreatment. Local police later issued an official apology.

On the morning of August 28, several journalists gathered outside a funeral parlor to await body identification results for the first batch of air crash victims. On August 24, a short-haul passenger plane carrying 96 people on board crashed during landing near the northeast city of Yichun in Heilongjiang Province, killing 42 and injuring 54. Local police cordoned the area off. Two newspaper journalists were pushed into a police car and sent to a police station. One of the reporters was from the Beijing-based Evening Law Newspaper and the other reporter was from the Shanghai-based financial news magazine, CBN Weekly.

The two other newspaper journalists were arrested inside the office of the funeral home.

Upon being arrested, they identified themselves as journalists. The policemen said they would not be released until permission was given from higher-ranking officials. All four journalists were released at noon when dozens of journalists crowded into the police station to protest. 

A deputy director surnamed Cui, from the Yichun District Public Security Bureau said he had ordered the detention of the journalists, although he said he was not aware they were journalists.

Hours later, he met with the journalists at a local hotel, and said, “I apologize to the reporters that were wrongfully detained. I am a coarse person compared to journalists.” He said the incident was highly-regrettable and that the event occurred mainly due to his poor educational background.