Two journalists, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, who led the now-closed Hong Kong online news outlet Stand News, are awaiting a verdict in their sedition case on Thursday. This trial is seen as an indicator of press freedom in Hong Kong and is the city’s first sedition case involving media since the handover in 1997. The journalists were charged with conspiracy to publish seditious materials under a colonial-era law that has been increasingly used to target dissent following the anti-government protests in 2019.
Stand News was founded in 2014 by businessman Tony Tsoi and media veterans Yee Ka-fai and Chung, with a promise to uphold independent editorial standards. During the 2019 protests, the outlet gained prominence for its critical reporting of the authorities and live-streaming coverage from the front lines. Despite facing criticism from the city’s security secretary and police, Stand News was rated among the most credible outlets in Hong Kong in 2019 by residents surveyed at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The journalists found themselves on trial in connection to Stand News after a series of crackdowns on civil society groups in 2021, which included the closure of Apple Daily and the arrest of its founder Jimmy Lai. The Stand News office was raided in December 2021, leading to the arrests of Chung, Lam, and others associated with the outlet. Assets worth millions were frozen, forcing Stand News to close. Of the seven people arrested, only Chung and Lam were charged in connection with Stand News, while others faced charges related to Apple Daily.
The closure of Apple Daily, Stand News, and Citizen News within months dealt a blow to Hong Kong’s once-vibrant press scene. Many activists have been prosecuted, silenced, or forced into self-exile since the enactment of the national security law in 2020. The crackdown on civil society has raised concerns about the curtailment of civil liberties in Hong Kong. The delivery of the verdict for the Stand News editors has been delayed several times, indicating the significance of the case in the context of press freedom in the city.
The prosecution accused Chung and Lam of conspiring to publish seditious articles and promoting illegal ideologies through Stand News. The case is based on articles published between 2020 and 2021, which featured pro-democracy figures and criticized the security law. During the trial, Chung defended the importance of freedom of speech, denying that Stand News was a political platform. Lam chose not to give testimony. If convicted, the defendants could face up to two years in prison and a fine. The trial, which was expected to last 20 days, stretched to around 50 days.
The outcome of the trial will have implications for press freedom and civil liberties in Hong Kong. Activists and rights groups have raised concerns about the use of the sedition law to target dissenting voices in the city. The Hong Kong government maintains that civil liberties are still guaranteed by the city’s mini-constitution, but critics fear further restrictions under new security laws. The verdict in the Stand News editors’ case will be closely watched as an indicator of the future of press freedom in Hong Kong.
