SHENZHEN Evening News apologized to the public yesterday for taking photos of a popular singer after she died of breast cancer Friday in Shenzhen at age 33.

    In the apology yesterday to the family, friends and fans of singer Yao Beina, Shenzhen Evening News said it sincerely apologized for the disturbance and discomfort it has caused to Yao’s family, fans and netizens.

    The statement confirmed that the paper’s reporters entered the makeshift operating room to take photos as doctors were removing Yao’s corneas at about 7 p.m. Friday. Reporters deleted all photos at the scene when Yao’s family showed opposition, and thus were forgiven by Yao’s father, the statement said, adding that thereafter the newspaper has stayed in contact with Yao’s family over the incident.

    The statement said that the paper, together with four partners, decided to withdraw an initiative to establish a foundation in the name of Yao after her father showed opposition. The newspaper also promised that it would refund the first two donations it had received.

    The photo-taking incident was first reported early Saturday by a blogger on Sina Weibo. The blogger posted that three reporters with the newspaper had slipped into the mortuary disguised as medical workers and took photos of the dead singer without the permission of Yao’s family. By noon, the news has been forwarded more than 10,000 times, with thousands of comments criticizing the newspaper’s unethical practices.

    The newspaper’s conduct in collecting news and the proposal of setting up a foundation in cooperation with other foundations had drawn strong protest from Huayi Brothers, Yao’s contracting company.

    Huayi’s music supervisor Zhang Liang said it was unbearable for the newspaper and Dr. Yao Xiaoming, Yao Beina’s eye surgeon, to launch a foundation without considering the feeling of Yao’s family and her friends.

    Huayi Brothers said in an official announcement Saturday that it reserves the right to take legal actions against the newspaper and Yao Xiaoming.

    The company said it had requested the newspaper to withdraw the proposal of setting up a foundation under the name of Yao Beina.

    (Han Ximin)