Two journalists who led a pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong were convicted of sedition last month, leading to their sentencing on Thursday. Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, the former editor-in-chief and acting editor-in-chief of Stand News respectively, were found guilty over 11 articles with “seditious intentions,” including commentaries by pro-democracy activists. The U.S. and European Union criticized the conviction, calling it a blow to media freedom, while Hong Kong authorities defended it, stating journalists must abide by all laws. The two men face up to two years in prison and fines for their convictions.
The trial against the journalists, which began in 2022, marked Hong Kong’s first under a colonial-era sedition law that has since been replaced by the local national security legislation. Stand News, known for its political and social coverage, was rated among the city’s most credible news outlets in 2019. In 2021, national security police raided the Stand News office, arrested several people, including Lam and Chung, freezing its assets and causing it to shut down. Lam and Chung’s lawyers argued they were legitimate journalists reporting on issues other news media covered, with Lam expressing regret for not clarifying journalists serve the public, not anyone else.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association reported a systemic campaign of harassment and intimidation targeting dozens of Hong Kong journalists, the largest seen by the group. Journalists received threatening emails, letters, and online content, some combining their images with knives and shooting targets. Law enforcement officials urged affected journalists to file reports, but Hong Kong’s top leader declined to condemn the harassment. Additionally, non-local journalists have faced challenges obtaining work visas or entry to Hong Kong, further impacting press freedom in the region.
The Stand News verdict has been widely criticized as a blow to press freedom in Hong Kong, setting a dangerous precedent for further stifling dissent. Hong Kong’s press freedom ranking has declined significantly in recent years, with the situation exacerbated by the 2020 national security law. Despite the conviction of Lam and Chung, the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s office in Hong Kong stated that it was a case of justice being served and not an infringement on press freedom, claiming that journalists can operate freely in the region. However, many observers view the situation as indicative of a broader crackdown on media freedom in Hong Kong.
