Olympic Games 2008

RFI Chinese website blocked, Spain looks into Tibet genocide charges

Article published on the 2008-08-05 Latest update 2008-08-05 15:53 TU

Security at the National Stadium
(Photo: AFP)

Radio France Internationale's website in Mandarin has been partially blocked, ahead of Thursday's opening of the Olympic Games. Despite an official promise to lift internet restrictions, only the homepage is now accessible with access to articles and broadcasts blocked. In Spain judges have opened a case against several top Chinese officials for alleged genocide in Tibet.

The block on RFI's Chinese-language website is in operation both in the country as a whole and in the Olympics press centre, despite the official promise not to restrict access to websites in response to a recent outcry over internet-censorship.

Since the weekend free access has been allowed to the sites of Britain's BBC and German international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle. RFI has protested that it is being penalised by the latest action and by the fact that its Mandarin site is only available for an hour a day in the majority of regions, including cities which will host Olympics events.

In Spain public prosecutors on Tuesday decided to investigate seven Chinese officials in relation to accusations by campaigning groups of genocide in Tibet earlier this year.

They will investigate charges that the Tibetan population has been subject to persecution that is in breach of international law since March.

Since 2005 Spain has claimed the right to pursue legal cases abroad in connection with allegations of crimes against humainty and genocide.