> Ursula Gauthier, de L'Obs, will have to leave the country before 31 December
> In his article he echoed the complaints of repression of the Uyghur minority
> The Chinese Government accuses her of justifying terrorism
> It is the first expulsion since 2012
26.12.2015
The Chinese Government confirmed this Saturday that it is not going to renew the French journalist's credentials as a correspondent.Ursula Gauthier, from the magazineThe Nouvel Observateur (también conocida como L'Obs), for an article about terrorism Islamist. Gauthierwill have to leave the country before 31 December.
It is about thefirst foreign correspondent expelled from China since 2012, whenMelissa Chan, who worked for the Qatari network Al Jazeera, had to leave the country.
La periodista ha reaccionado en Twitter calificando de "absurda" the decision to expel her.
Criticism over an article about the Xinjiang region
The Chinese authorities accuse Gauthier of justifying terrorism in a report published by the French magazine last 18 November, after theParis attacks.
In yourarticle [FR], The correspondent reported on the displays of solidarity with France but also thatThe Chinese government considered itself a victim of terrorism for the attacks in the northwestern region ofXinjiang, frequent source of tension between the Han ethnic majority and the Uyghur Muslim minority.
Gauthier highlighted the differences between both situations andechoed the complaints of the Uyghur opposition, that accuses China of exercising a"represión despiadada".
Gauthier's article sparked a wave of criticism from official Chinese media, whatL'Obs llegó a calificar de "amenazas".
Thereafter,, heChinese Foreign Ministry halted accreditation renewal process of the correspondent waiting for her to retract.
"Como no logró ofrecer una disculpa seria al pueblo chino por sus erróneas afirmaciones sobre actos terroristas, It is not appropriate for him to continue being in China", declared the spokesperson of the Ministry, Lu Kang.
First anti-terrorism law in China
The expulsion of the French journalist comes whenChina prepares its first anti-terrorism law. The norm, that the Legislative Branch of this country debates this week, imposes highlightsrestrictions on the way in which terrorist attacks can be reported in the country, according to information from the official press cited by Efe.
According to the Xinhua agency, una cláusula establece que "instituciones o individuosThey will not be able to generate or disclose information about terrorist incidents" o "dar detalles que puedan incitar a la imitación".
In addition, the lawprohibiría "publicar escenas de crueldad o inhumanidad en actividades terroristas", and only the media that have the express approval of the anti-terrorist authorities will be able to report in these cases on personal details of hostages., security forces in the act of duty or authorities.
The country's first anti-terrorism law could alsoallow Chinese troops to be sent abroad to participate in counterterrorism missions.
The draft requires companies in sectors such as technology to collaborate more with the authorities, for example, censoring content linked to terrorism.
