【大紀元9月1日訊】今天(9月1日)下午3點﹐大紀元將在紐約聯合國總部門前Ralth Bunche park (43rd St. & 1st Ave.)舉行新聞發佈會﹐抗議中共駐西雅圖領事館封殺胡錦濤訪美期間的大紀元採訪權。大紀元在華盛頓DC﹑紐約聯合國總部﹑加拿大等地的採訪許可證仍在被拖延中。大紀元呼籲自由世界共同抵制中共的新聞審查和媒體封鎖。
胡錦濤9月4日開始訪問美國前夕，中共對發表九評共產黨社論並觸發退黨大潮的獨立媒體大紀元的報復行動先延續到美國西雅圖。大紀元時報近日申請對胡錦濤于9月4日訪問西雅圖期間的相關活動進行報導﹐中共通過美國大西雅圖地區的商貿發展聯合會拒絕了大紀元的採訪申請。
美國西雅圖商會山姆‧凱布蘭(Sam Kaplan)在其電子郵件中指出「貿易聯合會是通過美國地方委員會與中國政府聯繫的。中國政府的活動由他們自己負責，並對媒體採訪憑證具有最終決定權。他們已決定拒絕大紀元對有關活動進行報導。」Kaplan將所有問題轉交中國駐舊金山領事。
胡錦濤此行亦包括華盛頓DC﹑渥太華﹑多倫多﹑墨西哥﹑紐約和溫哥華等地。大紀元時報記者在以上地方的採訪許可證仍在申請中﹐直至目前還沒有回音。
大紀元總編輯郭軍女士表示，大紀元是目前唯一敢全面真實報道中國和中共的媒體。九評共產黨社論發表之後，中國大陸觸發大規模退黨潮，中共恐懼大陸退黨事件曝光，不惜重金在全球範圍內封殺大紀元，中共在美國針對大紀元的舉動，也是全球行動的一個環節。
郭軍希望社會各界認清中共本質，拒絕和中共黑幫為伍。
大紀元時報是美國註冊的一獨立媒體﹐以中文創刊﹐現由多國語言發行﹐其中包括英文。大紀元時報以報導未經政府控制之有關中國的真實新聞著稱﹐包括中共的人權問題和法輪功的被迫害。
媒體採訪聯絡﹕
Wenyi Wang, 718-908-9704 or John Nania, 646-287-1036
新聞發佈稿﹕
=============
For Immediate Release
CHINESE CONSULATE BANS THE EPOCH TIMES FROM COVERING HU JINTAO’S VISIT TO SEATTLE
• Organization Affiliated with City of Seattle Responsible for Ban
• First Amendment Concerns Raised
The Epoch Times has been denied media credentials to cover events during Chinese president Hu Jintao’s visit to Seattle on Sept. 5 and 6. Notice of the denial came in an e-mail from Sam Kaplan, the vice-president of the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle. That organization is handling media requests for Hu’s visit.
According to Mr. Kaplan’s email the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco made the decision to ban The Epoch Times. He describes the Trade Development Alliance as acting as a “conduit” to the Chinese Consulate. Neither the Trade Development Alliance nor the Chinese Consulate could be reached for comment.
According to its website the Trade Development Alliance is “a collaboration of the Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma, Metropolitan King County Government, Snohomish County Government, Pierce County Government, City of Seattle, City of Everett, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and union leadership.” The website’s url begins “www.cityofseattle.net.”
The City of Seattle’s interest in pleasing the Chinese government should be obvious. During Hu Jintao’s visit, he will tour two of the regions biggest employers, Boeing and Microsoft. This year Boeing announced $12 billion in orders from China-based airlines.
The Chinese government has been hostile to the Epoch Times since its inception. The Epoch Times (http://theepochtimes.com/) is an international, independent, multi-language newspaper published in 8 languages and more than 30 countries. It began as a Chinese-language website, founded in 2000.
The Epoch Times reported factual, uncensored stories from China, including articles on China’s human rights abuses. In December 2000 security forces arrested over 30 individuals working for the paper and many of those were given stiff sentences for “subverting the political power of the state.” Confessions were forced with torture. Four of those arrested are still in prison today.
Outside of China the Epoch Times has reported on a wide range of acts of harassment and intimidation. This interference with its business greatly increased after the Epoch Times published “The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.” This book-length series of editorials gives an uncensored history of Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In response to these editorials, 4.1 million Chinese have withdrawn from the CCP or its affiliated organizations, with more withdrawing each day.
Since the “Nine Commentaries” were published the Malaysian government suddenly banned the Epoch Times; in Hong Kong printing shops have refused to print the Epoch Times; in mainland China the family members of the U.S. Epoch Times staff reported being threatened.
Now the City of Seattle has decided to cooperate with the Chinese government to limit press freedom here in the United States. When we do business with China, what price are we getting for the First Amendment?
The Epoch Times objects strenuously to the banning of news coverage in the U.S. by the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese consulates. The free world stands for the principle of freedom of press and freedom of expression. The Epoch Times calls on all those who support these freedoms to expose these dangerous acts to control the media access in the U.S.
Contact: Wenyi Wang, 718-908-9704 or John Nania, 646-287-1036
