Rights groups and activists are sounding the alarm about the recent detention of two Chinese investigative journalists who exposed corruption involving a high-ranking official in Sichuan province.

Independent journalists Liu Hu and Wu Yingjiao were taken by police on Sunday after the publication of their investigation, according to reports from human rights organizations. The Chengdu police announced on Monday that both men, aged 50 and 34, were under investigation for 'making false accusations' and 'illegal business operations.'

Critics of the Chinese government have long raised concerns about media repression, as authorities have repeatedly arrested and prosecuted journalists, alleging they disrupt public order.

As of now, the Chinese government has not commented on the detentions nor offered a response to the mounting criticism from rights groups. Liu, a well-known investigative reporter, was previously arrested in 2013 on suspicion of defamation after he accused a senior official of corruption. Following his release in 2014, he continued his work and frequently posted reports via social media.

Furthermore, Wu has been a regular collaborator on Liu's public WeChat account where they share news articles. It has been reported that just before his disappearance, Liu was scheduled to travel from Chongqing to Beijing, while Wu was taken into custody in Hebei province.

The investigation of Liu and Wu follows a report wherein they revealed that businesses were driven to bankruptcy due to corrupt actions of a county official. The title of this now-deleted report suggested these allegations, highlighting the serious implications of their findings.

Before his recent detention, Liu had communicated with an official from Chengdu's disciplinary inspection body, urging him to refrain from publishing reports. Reporters Without Borders has condemned this arrest as indicative of the increasing hostility toward independent journalism in China. They are calling on the international community to heighten pressure on the Chinese government rather than pursue normalization that may further entrench such repressive actions.

According to Reports Without Borders, more than 120 journalists are currently detained in China, making it the world’s largest jailer of journalists.