interview and other forms. The press agency must use contents of information provided
correctly and must indicate the information origin.
2. The competent authorities, organzations and individuals have the right to refuse the
provision of information to the press in the following cases:
a) The information included in the list of state secrets, the secrets under the principles and
regulations of the Party, individual privacy and other secrets as prescribed by law;
b) The information about the cases under investigation or not yet judged, except for cases
the state administrative agencies or the investigation agencies need the press information
about the issues in favor of investigative activities and the prevention and fight against
crime;
c) The information about the cases under inspection pending the inspection conclusion or
the cases whose complaints or denunciation is under the settlement; the disputes and
conflicts between the state agencies are under the settlement pending the official
conclusion from the competent persons not permitted for announcement as provided for by
law.
d) d) The documents of policies and schemes which are under development and are not
announced by the competent level in accordance with regulations of law.
3. For the cases which are under investigation and prosecution and pending trial, the
negative cases or the cases with signs of law violation pending the conclusion from the
competent state agency, the press has the right to provide information based on its own
documentary sources and shall take responsibility before law for the contents of
information.
4. The press agencies and the journalists have the right and obligation not to disclose the
information provider, except for the case with a written request from the Head of the
People's Procuratorate, President of provincial People’s Court and the equivalent or higher
level necessary for the investigation, prosecution and judgement of very serious or
particularly serious crimes.
The Head of the People's Procuratorate and the President of provincial People’s Court and
the equivalent or higher level shall plan to protect the information provider; the law
enforcement agencies shall have to coordinate with the Head of the People's
Procuratorate and the President of provincial People’s Court and the equivalent or higher
level to protect the information provider.
5. The state administrative agencies shall appoint the spokeman to speak and provide
information for the press on periodic and unexpected basis.
The government details the speaking and provision of information to the press of the state
administrative agencies.
Article 39. Reply in the press