Paper demands release of reporter Chen Yongzhou

Guangzhou-based New Express publishes the second front-page appeal for the release of its detained reporter Chen Yongzhou on Thursday.

A Guangzhou-based newspaper published the second front-page appeal for the release of its detained reporter on Thursday.

Chen Yongzhou, an investigative reporter with the New Express tabloid, has been held by Changsha police since Friday for writing stories about Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Development Co., Ltd., China's second-largest construction equipment maker.

According to Changsha police, Chen was detained for spreading false information that caused severe damage to Zoomlion's business reputation and led to great economic losses.

The New Express said Chen was simply performing his duties as a reporter. If there was any problem concerning Chen's stories, Zoomlion should contact the newspaper through the normal channels or file a law suit against the newspaper in court instead of "assaulting" Chen.

Zoomlion said it had sent a high-level executive to the newspaper to discuss the matter after reading the published stories, but both sides failed to reach an agreement.

There were also disputes over the jurisdiction of the case, as the New Express is based in Guangzhou City of Guangdong Province in southern China, and Zoomlion is based in Changsha City of Hunan Province in central China.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee had both stepped in to further investigate the case, according to Zoomlion.

Chen's detainment has also provoked a heated public discussion.

He Bing, deputy dean of the Law School of China University of Political Sciences and Law, said that police should show sufficient evidence to prove Chen's stories had caused damage to Zoomlion's business reputation.

Fan Yijin, dean of the College of Journalism and Communication at Jinan University, said that even if there is hard evidence against Chen such as blackmail or taking commercial bribes, police have no right to imprison him before he stands trial.

One micro-blogger named Shifeike said that if Zoomlion couldn't agree with Chen's stories, it should seek justice in court; police have no right to make a move at this stage. It seemed the authorities were using Chen's stories as an excuse to protect their local business.

Another micro-blogger by the name of Pubaoyi, said Chen didn't publish the stories on his personal social media and therefore, even if the stories have damaged Zoomlion's business reputation, Zoomlion should take action against the New Express, but not against Chen himself.