Geneva, 3 December 2010- European public service broadcasters today expressed their grave concerns over the working conditions and lack of independence of Chinese media. 

"We urge the Chinese authorities to remove all obstacles preventing national and international media from pursuing their work and to immediately release all journalists who have been deprived of their freedom," they said in a declaration adopted at the EBU* General Assembly in Geneva on 2 & 3 December 2010.

Chinese authorities have advised their official representatives and the media to refrain from attending and covering next week’s Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony in Oslo. The EBU General Assembly strongly condemns political attempts to control free and independent journalism.

Besides the fundamental right of freedom of expression, journalistic independence is a basic value of the EBU. The EBU General Assembly urges the Chinese authorities to respect this principle.

For the full text of the declaration, please see attached.