Francis Chartrand for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

While coming to an end the Olympics, a dozen foreign nationals are still being detained for having publicly criticized the Chinese presence in Tibet.

The U.S. Ambassador Clark T. Randt Jr. insisted Sunday with Chinese authorities to immediately release these activists, American majorities. He deplored the move that Beijing has failed to benefit from the Games to "show tolerance and openness."

Some fifty foreign activists were arrested in Beijing during the Games as well as in the days preceding the opening, for having deployed banners in support of Tibet. It also found among them a number of bloggers.

Soon arrested by Chinese authorities, most were simply expelled from the country. But those apprehended during the last week of the Games have been imprisoned under a law which allows detention without charge individuals for a maximum period of 14 days.

The latest arrests occurred on Thursday. The authorities say they intend to release them at the end of August.

A freedom in brackets

The hiccups made by Beijing to its own commitments to respect a certain freedom of expression, in the wake of obtaining Games in 2001, were numerous.

China had said it would allow particular events during the Olympics in three locations, provided that the demonstrators are seeking permits.

However, none of the requests made by citizens has been approved. Moreover, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 15 Chinese citizens were arrested for having requested the right to demonstrate.

RSF also reported Friday that at least "50 activists of human rights Beijing have been placed under house arrest, harassed or forced to leave the capital during the Games." Twenty foreign journalists have also been "hampered" attacked "or" challenged "in their work.

According to RSF, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has a share of responsibility in this situation and must take steps to ensure that this does not happen again at other Games. Its president Robert Menard urged the IOC to now make respect for freedom of expression an explicit criterion for the award of the Olympics.

IOC President Jacques Rogge, took to defend its record to a few hours of the closing ceremony.

"The IOC and the Olympic Games can not impose changes to sovereign nations or solve all the ills of the world [...] We are first and foremost an organization dedicated to sport," said Jacques Rogge, who 'says otherwise is satisfied with the conduct of the Games.

Labels: Anne Humphreys, Sports

# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 11:06 AM