French journalist expelled from China for criticizing Uyghur issue

(Baonghean.vn) - On December 25, the French newspaper L'Obs reported that China will expel a female reporter of the newspaper in Beijing who criticized the Chinese government's treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region.

French journalist Ursula Gauthier. Photo: AFP

L'Obs reported that journalist Ursula Gauthier, a correspondent for the newspaper in Beijing, was forced to leave China by December 31. The newspaper also stated that immediately after journalist Ursula Gauthier published an article claiming that China was exploiting the series of horrific terrorist attacks in Paris to justify its actions against the Uyghurs, the female journalist became the target of many editorials in the Chinese media and even received death threats.

Some media outlets also reported that the Chinese Foreign Ministry had asked her to publicly retract the article. On December 25, the French Foreign Ministry issued a brief statement on the matter: "France would like to remind that it is very important for journalists to be able to work everywhere in the world."

Meanwhile, the newspaper L'Obs published an editorial saying the expulsion of its reporter was a "major incident" at a time when France and China are strengthening economic, cultural and diplomatic ties.

Phuong Thao

(According to Reuters)