ACJA Condemns Obstruction, Defends Press Freedom After Hunan Company Representative Detained

The All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) released a statement on Tuesday emphasizing the fundamental right of journalists to conduct interviews and the legal protection afforded to lawful press supervision. This statement was prompted by a video released by a Hunan-based media outlet. The video depicted a company representative violently interfering with on-site reporting.

The video showed reporters investigating reports of allegedly substandard products sold by Hunan Fengxu Cable Co. A company representative confronted the journalists, grabbing a video camera and smashing it. He also attempted to seize a reporter's mobile phone. Subtitles in the video indicated that multiple pieces of recording equipment were damaged during the incident.

The ACJA reported that the incident occurred Tuesday morning in Changsha, Hunan Province. Local police initiated an investigation. The association stated it would continue to closely monitor the case.

The local police department subsequently confirmed that the company representative responsible for damaging the equipment had been taken into criminal detention. A police bulletin detailed that authorities responded to an emergency call reporting the incident at Hunan Fengxu Cable Co. The investigation revealed that the legal representative of the company, a 42-year-old man surnamed Xie, had been involved in a dispute with the reporters. During the altercation, Xie damaged the reporters’ eyeglasses and filming equipment. Xie is now under criminal detention on suspicion of intentional destruction of property, and the investigation is ongoing.