Associated Press
June 15, 2006

Reporters Without Borders has demanded that China investigate the beating of an activist after he criticized the government in a German TV interview, calling the incident a worrying sign for coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Beijing: Reporters Without Borders on Thursday demanded that China investigate the beating of an activist after he criticized the government in a German TV interview, calling the incident a worrying sign for coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Paris-based press freedom group urged China’s Foreign Minister to intervene in the case of activist Fu Xiancai who was struck and paralyzed by unknown assailants on June 8, two weeks after an interview with him was aired on Germany’s ARD television network. … German officials also demanded an investigation and punishment for those responsible and were told Wednesday that China had "agreed to examine the incident and report on the result," German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said in Berlin. … "Two years away from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it is extremely worrying that such brutal methods should be used to punish Chinese citizens who dare to speak to foreign journalists," the Reporters Without Borders statement said.