Chinese foreign ministry sought a public apology from Gauthier, a Beijing-based correspondent for French news magazine L’Obs, accusing her of “flagrantly championing” terrorist acts.
Gautier’s opinion triggered harsh criticism in the state-controlled press, a public censure from a government spokeswoman, and a surge of threats and abuse online.
Gauthier’s article, published last month in the wake of 13 November Paris terror attacks, questioned China’s discriminatory policies in the Xinjiang region that is home to the Muslim Uighur minority.
Reportedly Xinjiang is prone to ethnic rioting and instances of attacks on civilians by Islamic extremists. Strict security measures makes independent reporting on such incidents virtually impossible.
Gauthier’s press credentials and visa expires on 31 December. According to the New York Times, she has refused to apologize, instead preferred to be expelled.
According to the Wall Street Journal “While some recent attacks have borne the hallmarks of jihadist groups, rights groups and Uighur activists say much of the violence is provoked by police abuses, excessive religious restrictions and a huge influx of non-Uighur migrants to Xinjiang.”
The Guardian quoted Gautier as saying:
“Nobody is saying there is no terrorism in Xinjiang. But they want us to say there is only terrorism in Xinjiang. This is the problem.”
Gautier’s imminent expulsion makes her the second foreign journalist expelled from China following Al Jazeera’s Melissa Chan’s expulsion in 2012 for her reporting on issues related to forced land encroachment and illegal detention centers, called “black jails.”
China imposes strict limitations on local and foreign reporting since Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012 and launched a drive to revive Communist Party rule and suppress Western influence in society.
