Posted 25 марта 2008,, 10:02

Published 25 марта 2008,, 10:02

Modified 17 сентября 2022,, 14:12

Updated 17 сентября 2022,, 14:12

Reporters Without Borders Disrupt Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony

25 марта 2008, 10:02
"If the Olympic flame is sacrificed, human rights are even more so," RSF says.

March 25. VOSTOK MEDIA – People who tried to disrupt the ceremony of lighting the Olympic torch in Ancient Olympia, Greece, on Monday were members of the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (known by its French acronym RSF), Reuters reports.
In a statement released on its official Web site (www.rsf.org) RSF says: "We cannot let the Chinese government seize the Olympic flame, a symbol of peace without condemning the dramatic human rights situation."
"If the Olympic flame is sacrificed, human rights are even more so," said in the statement.
The demonstrators tried to disrupt the ceremony when the Beijing Games chief Liu Qi was delivering his speech. One of the protesters managed to unfurl a banner with an inscription "Boycott the Games in the country that tramples on human rights."
Another protester approached to the tribune where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Jacques Rogge was staying and shouted “Freedom! Freedom!”

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