Western reporters in China are receiving harassing phone calls, emails and text messages, some with death threats, according to an Associated Press report. Ordinary Chinese (supposedly) are complaining about alleged bias in the coverage of recent anti-Chinese protests in Tibet.
The harassment began two weeks ago and was largely targeted at foreign television broadcasters, CNN in particular. But the campaign has broadened in recent days after the mobile phone numbers and other contact information for reporters from AP, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today were posted on several websites.
"The Chinese people don't welcome you American running dog. Your reports twist the facts and will suffer the curse of heaven," said one email received by AP. One text message said: "One of these days I'm going to kill you."
Those sending the messages and making the calls say they are ordinary Chinese, a claim that could not be verified.
The complaints against foreign media come just four months before 30,000 journalists from around the world arrive in Beijing for an Olympics that was meant to feature a more open, modern China.
The Foreign Correspondents Club of China has urged its members to be more vigilant about security following the threats. It said: "Even if you've not received such messages, foreign correspondents in China should be aware of the negative emotions triggered by local perceptions of Western media 'bias."
