The journalists - two reporters and a photographer - were arrested in June 2007 after reporting on a case of corruption in the Communist Party. Chinese authorities failed to release them, as required by law, when the deadline to proceed with trial expired in December.

Reporters Qi Chonghuai and He Yanjie, and photographer Ma Shiping, were detained by police in the eastern province of Shandong and charged with "blackmail" and "suspicion of deception". In a letter to Premier Wen Jiabao, the Paris-based WAN and WEF said they were concerned that the charges were fabricated "and the real reason for their arrests is their reporting activities."

The letter called for the immediate release of the trio, and of all other jailed journalists, under reforms promised in China’s successful bid for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.

China recently released three journalists, but at least 30 others and 50 cyber-dissidents are still held in Chinese prisons. The imprisonments are in contradiction of China’s pledge, contained in its "Beijing Olympic Action Plan", to follow international standards and criteria.

More information about WAN’s campaign for the release of Chinese journalists can be found here.

The letter to Premier Wen said:

"We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 102 countries, to express our serious concern at the jailing of two journalists and one photographer, who were arrested in June 2007 after reporting on a case of corruption, and the failure of authorities to release them when the deadline to press charges expired.

"According to reports, reporters Qi Chonghuai and He Yanjie, and freelance photographer Ma Shiping, were detained by police respectively in Jinan city and Tengzhou city in the eastern province of Shandong for exposing corruption in the Tengzhou Communist Party. Mr Ma was arrested on 16 June and Mr Qi and Mr He were detained on 25 June. Mr Qi was held incommunicado for more than two months and has reportedly been assaulted and threatened by security officials. Mr Qi, Mr He and Mr Ma published an article and photographs about local corruption on the Xinhuanet website.

"The cases against Mr Qi, Mr He and Mr Ma were sent by police to the Tengzhou People’s Procuratorate for examination on 2 November 2007. Under China’s Criminal Procedure Law, the Procurator should have made a decision on whether to prosecute the men by 20 December. However, no decision has been made and Mr Qi, Mr He and Mr Ma remain in detention. Furthermore, as they are being held in apparent contradiction of Chinese law, we call on your to ensure their immediate release.

"Mr Ma has reportedly been charged with suspicion of deception and blackmail, while Mr Qi and Mr He were charged only with blackmail. We are concerned that these charges have been fabricated and that the real reason for their arrests is their reporting activities.

"We respectfully remind you that the Organising Committee for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games issued the "Beijing Olympic Action Plan" in 2002, which laid out guiding principles and a series of promises as part of Beijing’s preparation to be the host city. Specifically the Plan promised: “In the preparation for the Games, we will be open in every aspect to the rest of the country and the whole world. We will draw on the successful experience of others and follow the international standards and criteria.”

"In accordance with this pledge and numerous international conventions, declarations and agreements - including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - we call upon the Chinese authorities to free all jailed journalists and bloggers ahead of the Olympic Games. According to reports, at least 30 journalists and 50 cyber-dissidents are currently held in Chinese prisons. "We respectfully call on you to take all necessary steps to ensure that Mr Qi, Mr He and Mr Ma and all others detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression are immediately released from prison and that charges against them are dropped."

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom and the professional and business interests of newspapers world-wide. Representing 18,000 newspapers, its membership includes 77 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 12 news agencies and 11 regional and world-wide press groups.

The WEF is the organisation for editors within the World Association of Newspapers (www.wan-press.org/wef/articles.php?id=2).

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.