Environment volunteers need to be supported, not harassed

TWO VOLUNTEERS from a nongovernmental organization were reportedly summoned and interrogated by the police in Ningde, Southeast China's Fujian province, following a tip-off that they were involved in prostitution. Since they were conducting a private investigation into local environmental pollution before their detention and they were released the next day, there are suspicions that the Ningde authorities were trying to deter such public supervision. A commentary on ifeng.com lauds such public supervision and urges local governments to keep an open mind to efforts aimed at exposing polluters.

The police summoning the two NGO volunteers for questioning was a normal move after receiving such a tip. Indeed, local police have now been delegated more power to do this. But that does not mean an investigation can be carried out without solid evidence and limits.

In fact, it is the two non-local volunteers' legitimate right to check on the activities of enterprises that, despite the local environmental protection authorities' repeated warnings and penalties, were said to be violating the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment by operating without permission.