Chinese diplomats have been overtly threatening a FRANCE 24 reporter who spent a week in Tibet filming under cover, while their demands that his report "Seven Days in Tibet" be removed or altered continue to be refused [look for VIDEO at the bottom of this report]
June 12 (France 24).─ Reporter Cyril Payen has been subjected to "mafia"-style intimidation from Chinese diplomats angered by an under-cover report he filmed in Tibet.
Following the first broadcast of his "Seven days in Tibet" report on May 30, personnel from the Chinese embassy in Paris visited FRANCE 24's offices to demand that it be taken off the channel's website.
The demand was flatly refused by FRANCE 24's Editor-in-Chief Marc Saikali, while a request by the embassy to interview Payen could not be fulfilled as the reporter had already left for Thailand, where he is based.
On his arrival, Payen was subjected to repeated calls on his mobile phone (the number had never been given to Chinese officials) demanding that he present himself at the Chinese embassy in Bangkok and explain his actions ... [ Full text ]
Seven Days in Tibet
Tibet has been off-limits to journalists since the Chinese government brutally suppressed riots in the region five years ago. France 24's regional correspondent Cyril Payen managed to get a seven-day visa to enter the region. What he saw lends weight to the complaints of the Dalai Lama and human rights organisations, who say Tibetan culture is being erased.