China has labelled the FCC an "illegal organisation". It comes as the world's media turn their attention to the Beijing Winter Olympics, which is already under scrutiny due to alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and a crackdown in Hong Kong. The report found that foreign journalists are being harassed so severely by the state that a handful of correspondents have left mainland China. Others have been forced to come up with emergency exit plans as a precaution.
Chinese colleagues of foreign reporters have also faced intimidation with authorities harassing their families, the report said.
