By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
BEIJING, China – YouTube, a Google-owned popular video sharing site, is blocked by the Chinese government since Monday. According to Reuters, Chinese traffic to the site saw a sharp decline on Monday and almost all the traffic had stopped by Tuesday. Google did not explain why Chinese authorities were barring access to YouTube. “We do not know the reason for the blockage, and we’re working as quickly as possible to restore access to our users in China.” However, Chinese authorities are known for blocking websites they deem politically unacceptable or offensive.
Many people speculated it is because of footages that a Tibetan exile group posted on YouTube. The videos show protesters being beaten, kicked and choked allegedly by Chinese police officers in March 2008 riots. The Tibetan government-in-exile says the footage shows the Chinese government’s “brutality”. But a Chinese government official said video footage is “a lie” because many of the images and voices in the video had been pieced together from different sources.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Qin Gang, told reporters: “Many people have a false impression that the Chinese government fears the Internet. In fact it is just the opposite.”
He cites that China has the world’s largest online population and 100m blogs. “China’s internet is open enough, but also needs to be regulated by law in order to prevent the spread of harmful information and for national security”, he added. However, Qing Gang did not did not directly comment on whether YouTube had been blocked in China.
Several civil rights groups criticize the Chinese government for blocking YouTube. The Global Network Initiative said the blocking of YouTube in China is “inconsistent with the rule of law and the right to freedom of expression”. Leslie Harris, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology made a similar statement: ” China’s actions fail to live up to international norms. Anytime a country limits or takes down content online , it must be forthright and specific about its actions and do so only in narrowly defined circumstances consistent with international human rights and the rule of law.”
For more information:
AP – YouTube blocked in China; official says video fake – 24 March 2009
AFP – YouTube confirms website blocked in China – 24 March 2009
BBC – China criticised over YouTube – 25 March 2009
BBC – China says Tibet video is ‘a lie’ – 25 March 2009
CNN – YouTube blocked in China – 25 March 2009
Reuters – “Unafraid” China apparently fears YouTube – 24 March 2009
Wall Street Journal – China’s YouTube Block: A Tibet Connection? – 25 March 2009
