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 14 Feb Reporters Without Borders berates China
China’s lack of interest in the violation of human rights by African states it gives aid to, is partly to blame for the increase in the arrest and imprisonment of journalists on the continent this year, according to the media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders.
In an interview with the BBC, Leonard Vincent, the media watchdog’s spokesman said: "The influence of China in African affairs has been very toxic for democracy. Jailing journalists is routine now... for doing something that governments don't like or irritates ministers or heads of state. Even in democratic countries which we had placed a lot of hopes like Benin or Mali."
Serial offenders like Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe and The Gambia are cited in Reporters Without Borders’ annual survey of press freedom. Eritrea came bottom of the world press freedom list for the first time. "The country has been cut off from the rest of the world since major police round-ups in September 2001 and at least four journalists have died in prison," the report says.
Vincent accuses China of giving aid to African countries, without asking for political reforms in return.
Trade between China and Africa rose 39% to $32.17bn (£18bn) in the first 10 months of last year, according to official Chinese figures.
Hu Jintao (pictured) the Chinese president toured a number of African countries last year, underlining the importance of the continent to China’s programme of industrialisation.
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