Macau, China, May 9, 2025 (Lusa) - The Macau government told Lusa on Friday that it is "common practice" to exclude the online and monthly press from a public event, two weeks after the detention of two journalists from an online newspaper.
"The organising body defines the appropriate arrangements for news coverage of the event according to the nature, content and location (...), giving priority to television and radio stations, publications with more frequent periodicity and news agencies," said the Macau Government's Media Office (GCS) in a written response.
On Thursday, the GCS issued a press release on the signing of an agreement between Macau and France for the creation of a joint scientific research programme in the Chinese semi-autonomous region.
"Only reporters from daily and weekly newspapers, TV stations, radio stations and news agencies are invited to interview," emphasised the note from the Fund for the Development of Science and Technology (FDCT).
Lusa asked the FDCT what the reasons were for excluding the online and monthly press from the ceremony, but has so far received no reply.
The Government's Media Office said that "it should be emphasised that media professionals must comply with the laws and regulations when carrying out their duties".
When questioned by Lusa, the office did not give any reason why, after the ceremony to sign the agreement, presided over by the secretary for Economy and Finance, Anton Tai Kin Ip, the journalists present were not allowed to ask questions.
On 17 April, two journalists from All About Macau, an online newspaper with a monthly paper version, were detained by the police when they tried to enter the local parliament hall to attend the presentation of the political programme in the area of Administration and Justice for 2025.
On Tuesday, in the first public comment on the incident, the Legislative Assembly claimed that there had been a "large turnout" of journalists and that "the space for interviews as well as the seats available in the plenary room are limited".
This justification had already been rejected by All About Macau on 17 April, since "apparently there were still empty seats" for the media in the main hall.
On Tuesday, the newspaper accused the Legislative Assembly of "repeatedly preventing All About Macau journalists from carrying out their normal reporting work under false pretences".
The Macau Journalists Association (AJM) also declared that it "deeply regrets" the detention of the reporters, including the organisation's president, Ian Sio Tou.
This group of Chinese journalists had previously expressed concern about the increase in official events without media coverage and ‘discriminatory practices’ towards the sector.
"The unprecedented situation that has occurred is sad and worries us, as we believe it sets a precedent that is - to say the least - disturbing," the president of the Macau Portuguese and English Press Association (AIPIM), José Miguel Encarnação, also reacted to Lusa.
The Society of European Journalists and Media Professionals in Asia (JOCPA) told Lusa that Portugal should have made "a discreet gesture or expression of concern" about the journalists' detention.
"We find Portugal's silence worrying, given its deep historical and cultural ties with Macau," lamented JOCPA president Josep Solano.
Macau, which was under Portuguese control for more than 400 years, passed to Chinese administration in 1999, under an agreement which stipulated that the region should maintain fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of the press, for the first 50 years.
VQ/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
