Freedom of expression muzzled by the Olympics, News, Amnesty International Australia

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Freedom of expression muzzled by the Olympics

Freedom of expression muzzled by the Olympics

Published on 12/06/2008

In recent days, it has been reported that the AOC “has warned athletes that they will be breaking Chinese law if they bring an Amnesty International information pack on human rights abuses to the Beijing Games”.

It must be reiterated that current restrictions on freedom of expression in law and practice in China do not comply with international human rights standards.

Last month the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) issued a statement stating that athletes can use their own blogs as well as media conferences and interviews to comment on any issue they choose to.

This is a welcome move, however athletes competing at the Beijing Games are still subject to the most narrow interpretation of the Olympic Charter since 1968.

Amnesty International met with the AOC recently, and asked them to facilitate distributing human rights information to athletes attending the Games. Disappointingly, the AOC refused, saying it was ‘not its role’ to engage on the issue of human rights abuse in China.

This is at odds with other Olympic Committees in countries such as Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands, who actively provided human rights information to athletes through briefing sessions and printed materials, some in collaboration with local Amnesty International offices.

Amnesty International Australia then wrote directly to Olympic Teams, offering to provide information sessions and material on the human rights situation in China to those attending the Beijing Games.

Like everyone else, athletes have a right to freedom of expression and should be free to express their views in any peaceful manner they choose.

On 6 May 2008 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued ‘Guidelines on the interpretation of Rule 51.3 of the Olympic Charter’.

The six point guidelines detail what is expected of participants, particularly athletes, in order to comply with Rule 51.3.

The guidelines interpret Rule 51.3 to apply to all areas where Olympic accreditation will be a condition of entry. There, the use or display of any sign, banner, poster, piece of equipment or clothing which could be perceived as any kind of demonstration or propaganda’ will be outlawed. This would include gestures, written or oral statements.

The guidelines also confirm recent statements by the IOC President that Olympic participants, including athletes, could ‘express their opinions’ as long as they complied with rules laid out in the Charter. This includes the provision for participants to express themselves in Olympic Press or Broadcasting Centres or in ‘mixed zones.’

Amnesty International is concerned that point four of the guidelines, that states participants must ‘comply with the laws of the host state’ is not compatible with point one -- that participants can ‘express their opinions’.

As such, Amnesty International calls on the IOC to seek assurances from the Chinese authorities that participants’ right to exercise freedom of expression as protected by international standards will be fully respected during the Games.

Find out more here.

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I assume that the package planned for athletes to take to China to protest human rights abuses will be similar to those handed out to athletes going to Atlanta to protest the high rates of incarceration and the death penalty in US prisons and also the those handed out to athletes in Sydney to protest the treatment of Indigenous Australians. If not it seems some selective standadrs are being applied??