Women Press Freedom condemns the denial of interview permits to CNA correspondents

Location: Switzerland, Geneva
Date: May 21, 2024

Women Press Freedom is shocked about the denial of interview permits to Taiwanese journalists Tian Si-ru and Judy Tseng, who both worked for the Taiwanese Central News Agency (CNA) as its Brussels and Paris correspondents, for attending the annual World Health Assembly slated to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 27. The fact that the United Nations and World Health Organization demanded a ‘Chinese passport’ from the journalist as a requirement is an intolerable obstacle to journalistic access and an insult to press freedom. We demand that the UN and WHO provide full access to the Taiwanese journalists for the assembly and allow them to exercise their press freedom at the crucial event like many of their colleagues who will be visiting from all corners of the world. The journalists must be granted access to an event of such scale regardless of their nationality.

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Ahead of the 77th annual UN assembly in Geneva, Taiwanese Central News Agency (CNA) reporters Tian Si-ru and Judy Tseng applied for interview permits. Si-ru is CNA’s correspondent in Brussels, while Tseng reports from Paris.

On May 9 and 10, the UN instructed them to provide “an official Chinese passport that complies with United Nations policies and the guidance of United Nations General Assembly resolutions.” Si-ru submitted her Taiwanese passport along with the supporting documents as part of the application process but did not receive a response.

This is not the first time that the two journalists have applied for the UN event. They had also applied for passes to cover the annual session in 2023, and their application was initially approved. But when they went to collect their accreditation, they were informed that their passports were not recognized and they wouldn’t be allowed to attend the session. 

In a statement, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) mentioned that the move last year resulted from pressure from Chinese diplomats. When denying the passes, the UN staffer claimed he would face repercussions if he allowed entry to both journalists. Both CAN correspondents also meted out similar treatment in 2022.

Since 2016, no Taiwanese delegation has attended the annual assembly, which is the meeting of WHO’s decision-making body. The newly elected president, Lai Ching-te, has urged China to “stop its campaign of pressure on the democratic island,” as Bloomberg reported.

“I call on China to stop intimidating Taiwan verbally and militarily, and, together with Taiwan, to shoulder our responsibility to the world to do our utmost to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region,” the new president said in his inaugural address in Taipei.

Reacting to the denial of access to CNA journalists, the Association of Taiwan Journalists (ATJ) said: “The Association of Taiwan Journalists calls on the United Nations to stop being interfered with by China and issue formal interview permits to journalists affiliated with Taiwanese media to facilitate reporting on important international conferences such as the World Health Assembly, achieve the purpose of news dissemination, ensure the full flow of information, and satisfy the public's right to know.”

Women Press Freedom reiterates its call for the UN and WHO, urging them to uphold press freedom principles and ensure that all reporters, regardless of where they come from, have equal access to report on such significant annual events. Their right to report and the integrity of the press must be protected without any undue influence and discrimination.

Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism

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