BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) Wednesday voiced strong indignation and condemnation over the besieging and assault of a mainland reporter by some violent protesters at the Hong Kong International Airport Tuesday night.

The association issued a statement and denounced the rioters' unjustified obstruction of normal news reporting by Fu Guohao, a reporter with the Global Times, and their severe violent acts of besieging, assaulting and forcibly holding the reporter.

It also expressed deep solicitude to the reporter and paid high respect to his courage as he voiced his support for Hong Kong police even in danger.

Journalists' personal rights and their rights in news reporting shall not be infringed upon, said the statement.

The radicals' brutal battery and forcible holding of the journalist is a serious personal assault and deplorable violent crime, a disregard and violation of the legitimate rights and interests of journalists, a challenge and insult to the press circle across the world and a serious trampling on freedom of the press, according to the statement.

The ACJA firmly upholds the legitimate rights and interests of journalists and strongly supports their normal news reporting.

It strongly called on relevant authorities to severely punish the violations in accordance with the law and bring the offenders to justice as soon as possible.