Tokyo, Aug. 8 (CNA) The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan's (FCCJ) Press Freedom Committee has lodged a protest against the World Health Organization's (WHO's) refusal to accredit Taiwanese reporters to cover the World Health Assembly (WHA), according to a statement released Wednesday.
The committee objects to the WHO's decision to deny Taiwanese journalists press accreditation to cover the May 21-26 WHA, according to the statement.
The statement noted that although Taiwan is not a member of the WHO, its journalists had been allowed to attend and report on the annual meetings prior to 2017.
Denial of their accreditation is an infringement on press freedom. Accurate health reporting is critical to a safe and informed citizenry and health crises do not stop at political borders, the statement said.
The committee called on the WHO to resume issuing press credentials to Taiwanese journalists because no journalist should be barred from reporting solely because of their nationality.
