Southern Group’s Expression of Support for Journalist Liu Wei Deleted, Baidu Censors "Southern Metropolitan Reporter Liu Wei"

On October 16, 2015, the state sponsored Beijing News published an article entitled "Southern Metropolitan Daily Responds to Criminal Detention of Journalist Liu Wei on Suspicion of Illegally Obtaining State Secrets" (南都回应记者刘伟涉非法获取国家秘密罪被刑拘). Some excerpts:

This afternoon (October 16), Beijing News reporters (Weixin ID: bjnews_xjb) received information that Liu Wei, deputy editor of investigative reporting at the Southern Metropolitan Daily, had been held under criminal detention by Jiangxi police for eight days. According to people close to Liu Wei, at around 8:00 in the evening on October 8, Liu Wei left his home in Chengdu to head to the airport to fly to Beijing. After 10:00 pm that evening, contact with Liu Wei was lost.
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Beginning in 2013, Liu Wei began reporting on the Wang Lin affair. On October 23 of that year, the Southern Metropolitan Investigative Weekly published a four page report on the affair. Liu Wei was named the Southern Publishing's Group's Journalist of the Year in 2014.
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At 10:00 pm this evening, this reporter called Southern Metropolitan Publishing, which said the following:

1. Liu Wei is a senior investigative reporter with this news organization, and was assigned by us to investigate and report on news relating to the case of Wang Lin's suspected criminal activity. All of his interviews, reporting, and researching into Wang Lin's case was done entirely in his professional capacity in the execution of work related responsibilities. This news organization has provided a formal response to the Jiangxi police on October 9.

2. This news organization was deeply shocked and surprised that Liu Wei would be faced with deprivation of his liberty for carrying out his professional responsibilities. We immediately undertook emergency measures and got to work assisting Liu Wei's family to retain defense counsel in order to safeguard the legal interests owed to a journalist.

3. This news organization has already reported the situation to the relevant agencies, and have assigned people to accompany family members and legal counsel to Pingxiang, Jiangxi. On October 13, legal counsel wen to the jail to speak with Liu Wei. On October 14, family and legal counsel twice submitted applications for bail, but were denied by police both times.

4. This news organization will be following developments in this case closely, and will actively cooperate with the investigations by relevant agencies. We hope that the police will handle the case in accordance with the law, and will make information about the case public in a timely manner in accordance with the law.

今日(10月16日)下午，新京报(微信ID：bjnews_xjb)记者获悉，南方都市报深度报道部副主编刘伟已被江西警方刑拘8天。据刘伟的身边人透露，10月8日晚8时许，刘伟从成都家中离开，赶赴机场，要从成都飞往北京。但晚上10时后，刘伟失联。
. . . .
从2013年开始，刘伟介入王林事件报道。当年10月23日，南都深度周刊对此事件进行了4个整版报道。刘伟获2014年南方报业年度记者。
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今晚22时，记者致电南方都市报社，其报社回应称：
　　
一、刘伟系本报深度新闻部记者，受单位委派，调查采访王林涉嫌刑事责任案件的相关新闻，其对王林案的采访、报道、持续关注等，均属履行工作职责的职务行为，本报10月9日已向江西警方正式反馈;
　　
二、刘伟因履行职务而陷入丧失人身自由的困境，本报深感震惊和意外，立即启动应急程序，紧急展开相关工作，帮助刘伟家属聘请辩护律师，维护记者正当的合法权益;
　　
三、本报已向上级和有关部门及时通报相关情况，并派员陪同家属和律师赴江西萍乡等地，10月13日律师到看守所会见刘伟;10日和14日，家属、律师先后两次递交取保候审申请，均被警方拒绝;
　　
四、本报高度关注事件后续进展，积极配合有关部门的调查，希望警方依法办案，及时依法公开案件信息。

These screenshots show that the report was deleted the day after it was published.

This screeenshot was taken on October 19, and shows that Baidu was censoring search results for "Southern Metropolitan Reporter Liu Wei" (南都记者刘伟).