World's press asks Olympic president to confront China

"The government crackdown on journalists and others who seek to exercise their right to freedom of expression has intensified in recent months. At least 30 journalists and 50 cyber-dissidents are currently held in Chinese prisons for peacefully expressing their views," the Paris-based WAN and WEF said in a letter to Dr Rogge, who will be in Beijing next week for meetings of the IOC Executive Board and with Chinese Olympic officials.

The letter asked Dr Rogge to help ensure that China honour the pledge it made in its successful Olympic bid to allow foreign media "complete freedom to report when they come to China." The Chinese Olympic Committee also promised that, “In the preparation for the Games, we will be open in every aspect to the rest of the country and the whole world. We will draw on the successful experience of others and follow the international standards and criteria.”

Dr Rogge said last week he was conducting "silent diplomacy" with the Chinese government, which is facing growing protests over its repressive policies in the run-up to the Olympics.

"We also ask that your 'silent diplomacy' becomes voluble and public if the Chinese government does not immediately release from jail all those detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression," said the letter from WAN and WEF.

WAN has also written directly to the CEOs of 12 major Olympic sponsors asking them "to express your strong moral opposition to the repression of basic human rights in China and, in particular, the daily violation of all acceptable standards for freedom of expression."

Full details of the WAN campaign for press freedom in China, including a conference in Paris on 18 and 19 April with a coalition of press freedom groups, an advertising campaign and a letter-writing initiative, may be found at www.wan-press.org/china/home.php.

The full letter to Dr Rogge may be found at www.wan-press.org/article16798.html.