Chinese authorities have detained two prominent investigative journalists following their publication of a report alleging corruption by a senior official in Sichuan province. Liu Hu and Wu Yingjiao, known for their independent reporting, were taken into police custody on Sunday according to human rights organizations monitoring the situation.
The Chengdu Police Department confirmed that two individuals matching the journalists’ descriptions are under investigation for allegedly making false accusations and engaging in illegal business operations. The detained individuals were identified only by their surnames and ages—50 and 34 years old respectively.
This incident marks the second detention for Liu Hu, an award-winning investigative reporter who previously faced arrest in 2013 on defamation charges after exposing corruption within government ranks. Following his release in 2014, Liu continued his investigative work, primarily publishing through social media platforms and collaborative channels with Wu Yingjiao serving as his frequent collaborator.
According to documentation from Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Liu disappeared while preparing to travel from Chongqing to Beijing on Sunday. Wu was simultaneously detained in Hebei province on the same day. Their recent investigative work reportedly exposed alleged corrupt practices by a county-level official that purportedly led to several business bankruptcies.
Reporters Without Borders revealed that prior to his detention, Liu had received multiple communications from Chengdu disciplinary inspection officials urging him to engage directly with authorities rather than publishing his findings through media channels.
Aleksandra Bielakowska, advocacy manager at RSF, stated: ‘This arrest demonstrates the increasingly restrictive environment for independent journalism in China. We urge the international community to maintain pressure rather than pursuing normalization that enables further repression of reliable reporters.’
RSF’s current records indicate China detains over 120 journalists, maintaining its position as the country with the highest number of imprisoned journalists worldwide. The Chinese government has not issued any official statement regarding the detentions or the subsequent international criticism.