25 minutes ago
HONG KONG (Reuters) -
A group of Chinese lawyers have sued
CNN, saying remarks by commentator Jack Cafferty in which he
called Chinese "goons" violated the dignity and reputation of
the Chinese people, a Hong Kong newspaper said.
The Beijing-backed Wen Wei Po said the Beijing court had
yet to accept the case, which comes amid a wave of criticism in
China against Western news outlets in the wake of recent unrest
in Tibet and disruptions to the Beijing Olympic torch relay
abroad.
China's Foreign Ministry summoned CNN's Beijing bureau
chief last week and demanded an apology after Cafferty said
Chinese products were "junk," adding the remark: "They are
basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for
the last 50 years."
One of the 14 lawyers who launched the case told the
newspaper Cafferty's remarks "seriously violated and abused the
reputation and dignity of the plaintiffs as Chinese people, and
caused serious spiritual and psychological injury to the
plaintiffs."
The lawyers sought the restoration of the Chinese people's
reputation through publications and in the media and asked for
100 yuan ($14.31) in damages, it said.
In response to the Foreign Ministry's initial demand for an
apology, CNN said there was no intent to cause offence and that
Cafferty was offering a "strongly held" opinion of the Chinese
government, not the people.
The Foreign Ministry, however, said the response was
unsatisfactory and aimed to drive a wedge between the
government and the Chinese people.
(Reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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