China acknowledged Thursday that foreign journalists were blocked from interviewing a prominent human rights activist but stopped short of condemning the rough tactics used to thwart their work.
Several foreign reporters were roughed up this week by aggressive mobs, believed to be organised by local police, as they sought to visit blind activist Chen Guangcheng in his village in eastern China's Shandong province.
Chen, a self-taught lawyer who gained world attention by exposing abuses in the "one-child" population control policy, has been under house arrest since completing a jail term of more than four years in September.
He re-emerged into the human rights spotlight last week with the release of a daring video smuggled from his home in which he railed against his "illegal" detention and the "hooligan methods" of local authorities.
"In recent days some foreign correspondents in Beijing said they met some obstacles in reporting trips to Shandong," foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said.
"After learning this information, we have contacted the local authorities, learned the situation and properly handled it in a timely manner."
Ma refused to condemn the rough tactics, nor did he explain in what way the issue had been "properly handled".
All accredited foreign journalists in China must register with the foreign ministry, which has pledged to facilitate news gathering.
"We hope that foreign correspondents abide by China's laws and regulations, respect national conditions while reporting in China and particularly that they respect the wishes of the local people to avoid any unpleasant matter," Ma said.
"As a foreign correspondent in China it is your freedom to do or not do what you wish to."
The incidents prompted a warning Wednesday from the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China to its members about reporting in Chen's home village of Dongshigu, located in the city of Linyi.
"Since being told about the incidents, the police appear to have done nothing to rectify the situation or rein in these groups of thugs," it said.
Journalists from French news outlets such as Le Monde, Le Nouvel Observateur and Radio France Internationale, and from CNN and the New York Times were among those who reported rough treatment.
CNN aired a graphic clip showing a burly man shoving its reporter away and then hurling rocks at the retreating TV crew.
Lawyers on Thursday told AFP police in Beijing had this week interrogated, beaten and detained attorneys involved in Chen's case.
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