Fearing for Staff Safety, Citizen News Shuts Down

Chief editor Daisy Li (left) and Chris Yeung speak to media

Today senior executives of Citizen News explained to the media why they were closing abruptly, admitting it was because of what happened to Stand News on December 29 when seven people related to the news portal were arrested, which led to its immediate demise.

They said they could no longer guarantee their staff's safety, as they did not know where the red lines were being drawn.

Citizen News shut down effectively today

Choking back tears, chief writer Chris Yeung Kin-hing said: "We can't work in a safe environment. Reporters are also human and have their families and friends too. Journalists don't want to be landed in this dilemma simply because of their work."

Yeung, who is the former chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, said the closure was because of what happened to Stand News.

"The city's media has been embroiled in a political storm with many media outlets or the overall media being deemed as the target of a shake-up," he said.

"From the Stand News incident, we see that many articles and reports are deemed as seditious. We are worried that we may have violated the law without our knowledge."

He added: "Hong Kong is really facing a great change in many aspects, about how to understand press freedom, and where to draw the line... and now many things about the law and law enforcement and so on have become vague."

Yeung said as journalists could be exposed to the threat of prosecution, the outlet had no other choice but to close.

Yeung said no authorities contacted them

"We can't assess how long such a situation would linger. It's difficult to carry on," he said. "We have no choice but to cease operations."

During the announcement, Yeung said they were not contacted by the national security police regarding Citizen News' reporting, though some commentators have warned some media outlets like Stand News and Citizen News were targets. 

Citizen News started five years ago on January 1, 2017 with 10 people and in the last five years grew to dozens of people, absorbing those who left RTHK or i-Cable, or Apple Daily. And now it has let go 40 journalists.

Meanwhile, Ip Iam-chong, one of the co-founders of the online news outlets Inmediahk, told a radio show there had recently been an intensification of the chilling effect on the media from a government campaign initially targeting the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper.

"When we first started, we thought we wouldn't last long, not because of political pressure, but because of finances," Ip said. "Nowadays any media that is not considered establishment will keep receiving threats or warnings to shut down."

Over 200 police raided Stand News last week

He feared the continued closure of media outlets would mean that more rumours, mostly regarding the government, would be able to spread unchecked on the internet.

Even this afternoon there were rumours of the government considering imposing a lockdown on Hong Kong to stop the spread of the Omicron variant; eventually the government did issue a press release to deny the rumour, but with trust in the authorities so low, does anyone believe it?

They would have turned to online outlets like Stand News and Citizen News to get the facts. But now they have to turn elsewhere... and is it a place they trust?

This is the state of press freedom in Hong Kong, and more importantly freedom of information in the city. 

Third Media Outlet to Shut Down

News outlet Citizen News shuts down after five years

A few hours ago another independent news outlet Citizen News announced it will shut down as of tomorrow (January 4).

This comes just days after Stand News was raided by some 200 national security officers and seven people were arrested, including barrister Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee and singer Denise Ho Wan-see. Later two people, acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam Shiu-tung, and his predecessor Chung Pui-kuen were charged with allegedly publishing seditious content and stirring up hatred against the government.

Stand News' Lam was arrested, charged last week

Citizen News said tonight on social media in part: "Standing in the eye of the storm with the waves rolling, our little boat faces harsh conditions. In crisis, we must first ensure everyone on the boat is safe."

The online news outlet started five years ago on January 1, 2017. At the time the founders said: "By taking a small step, we hope we could inspire everyone in the industry to take a small step. Taken together, it will become a big step in protecting press freedom."

For five years Citizen News was a critical voice made up of veteran journalists who held the government accountable. 

Last year in an interview with the New York Times, chief editor Daisy Li said: "You know there is a red line, but at the same time you don't know what that line actually is."

Which makes one wonder, what is the future of journalism in Hong Kong? 

Citizen News' announcement tonight

How do you teach journalism students to be safe when you don't know what the red lines are?

What can be reported on safely anymore?

It's ironic that there is no violence in the streets, no blood being shed, and yet organisations being raided, people being arrested and thrown in jail, and groups shutting down are just as horrifying.

At the same time people are happy to pay good money to eat in nice restaurants, drink expensive bottles of wine and purchase luxury brand clothing, shoes and handbags. 

What times we live in in Hong Kong. 

The polar opposites could not be even more extreme...