Editor’s Note: From the Censorship Vault features previously untranslated censorship instructions from the archives of the CDT series Directives from the Ministry of Truth (真理部指令). These instructions, issued to the media and/or Internet companies by various central (and sometimes local) government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. CDT has collected the selections we translate here from a variety of sources and has checked them against official Chinese media reports to confirm their implementation.
Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. The original publication date is noted after the directives; the date given may indicate when the directive was leaked, rather than when it was issued. CDT does its utmost to verify dates and wording, but also takes precautions to protect the source.
The following directive was issued last fall, one month before the death of Muammar Qaddafi:
Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China: All media must report cautiously on China’s recognition of the National Transitional Council of Libya. Keep firm control over relevant terminology and the scope of discussion. Do not comment on the event excessively. (September 11, 2011)
中宣部：各媒体，对于我国承认利比亚过渡委员会一事要慎重报道，把握好相应的提法和尺度。不过多评论。
