Barbara Lüthi from Swiss TV and her Chinese cameraman, were detained in Shengyou, Hebei province, whilst investigating a 2005 incident where unrest led to the death of six people. Their interviews were erased.
Meanwhile a Swiss couple, both photographers, were arrested in Wuhan, Hebei province, when conducting a report on violence caused by land dispute. The Swiss government has responded immediately to protect the journalist's rights.

[Lars Knuchel, Swiss Federation Foreign Affairs]:
“The Swiss government has a very clear standpoint on this event. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already made an appointment with the Chinese ambassador in Switzerland. The Swiss government would like to know the motivation behind this regretful event. So we expect the Chinese ambassador to clarify and explain to us why such a thing happened.”

These incidents have prompted the Swiss Federation of Journalists to focus now on China's freedom of press and to call for action.

[Mathieu Fleury, Swiss Federation of Journalists]:
“We plan to take actions in two aspects. Firstly to make sure the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs will help rescue our detained fellow reporters, and secondly we will press for help from international organizations.”

According to statistics from the Foreign Correspondent Club of China, 16 cases of abuse against reporters have been recorded since last august.

NTDTV, Switzerland