Prague  - Former Czech president Vaclav Havel urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to enable full access to information at the Beijing Olympics, according to an open letter released Thursday by a Czech human rights group.

The letter says that Olympians must learn about China's human rights record as the Olympic Charter puts sports at the service of promoting "a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity".

The signatories of the letter, released by the Prague-based Olympic Watch, also include South African Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Member of European Parliament Baroness Emma Nicholson and Chinese democratic activist Wei Jingsheng.

"We are concerned that the Beijing Olympics might simply become a giant spectacle to distract the attention of the international public from the violations of human and civil rights in China," the letter says.

Contrary to earlier promises, China's organizers imposed internet censorship for journalists at the Games and refused to lift the measures despite international protests.

Chinese authorities disable access to numerous web sites deemed politically sensitive or critical of China, including those of international human rights organizations or pro-Tibetan groups.

The IOC had originally pressed the Chinese hosts to allow uncensored internet access but caved in on Wednesday. (dpa)