HK Journalists Recognised in Japan

Chan accepting the Japanese award on behalf of HK journalists

A day after the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong suspended its Human rights Press Awards citing the national security law, its sister club in Japan have named Hong Kong journalists as winners of its Freedom of the Press Asia Award.

Freelance journalist Ilgin Yorulmaz, co-chair of The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan's press freedom committee, said the award recognised journalists and media organisations who fight for free speech, for the free exchange of information, and against censorship.

The award was accepted by Hong Kong Journalists Association chair Ronson Chan Ron-sing.

He said it was an honour to receive the prize. 

FCC suspended the Human Rights Press Awards

"Hong Kong journalists are kind, passionate and tenacious... although the environment changed, most of us have remained in our position and try our best to find the truth for the Hong Kong community."

Meanwhile another person has abruptly left Hong Kong, a political cartoonist known as Ah To. 

In a social media post, he explained he would face "great mental stress" if he were to continue to produce political cartoons in the city.

On Tuesday he shared a picture of one of his characters in what looked like a backdrop of London and said he left because he "wanted to continue creating for Hong Kong".

Ah To said he thought about changing the theme of his work last year, but felt Hong Kong "needed political cartoons", and said he wanted to "persist" by remotely creating cartoons for his home city.

"I was worried that my future work would not be down to earth... but staying in Hong Kong to produce political cartoon [causes] great mental stress. [I] have no alternative but to leave," he wrote on Facebook, without stating his destination.

Ah To's character in what looks like London

He is known for being critical of Beijing and the Hong Kong government, and has produced work on controversial issues like the national security law, the election overhaul, and the 2019 protests.

Last July pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao criticised Ah To for sharing cartoons that "vilified the SAR government" and "incited hatred against the police".

His work was published in Ming Pao Weekly and Yahoo News, but both columns were cancelled in June 2020 just before the implementation of the national security law on June 30 that year.

In Tuesday's post, Ah To said he had made the decision to leave Hong Kong in a hurry and would not have time to bid farewell to his friends. He felt "guilty" about his departure, adding he would "speak up for the voiceless" and hoped Hong Kong's history would not be left with "silence" in the future.

Ah To's take on Carrie Lam

"Thinking about my family members in Hong Kong who I may not see again, my comrades who are in jail or pending trial, the readers who have been supporting me and my wife who was forced to flee with me... I feel very guilty," Ah To said.

"May good-natured people take care and preserve kindness in different ways," he added.

Ah To is not the only artist to leave recently. Manga artist Tony Lu and performance artist Kacey Wong Kwok-choi both left for Taiwan last year, citing the national security law for the reason behind their move.

PS: Here is the link to my new blog: https://goodbyehkhelloyvr.blogspot.com/

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. 

Stand News Stands Down

Media covering arrest of Stand News editor Patrick Lam

Yesterday Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and six former senior editors and executives were slapped with another charge of allegedly promoting seditious material. 

Early this morning news broke that the national security police arrested seven people related to independent online news outlet Stand News, including former and current editors, former opposition lawmaker Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, musician and activist Denise Ho Wan-sze, and Christine Fang Meng-sang, cousin of former chief secretary Anson Chan Fong On-sang.

Denise Ho was also arrested this morning

Police also froze HK$61 million (US$7.8 million) of Stand News' assets, making it the second news outlet to be accused of breaching the national security law.

Ronson Chan Ron-sing, Stand News deputy assignment editor and chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was also taken from his home in Tai Wai for questioning but was not placed under arrest.

Coincidentally, Chan was at the association's annual dinner two nights ago, in which he deplored the rapid deterioration of press freedom in Hong Kong.

In part he said this:

"When the Excom was elected last June, we made a solemn promise to our colleagues and the society. We know that it is a turbulent time, but freedom of the press is one of the pillars of Hong Kong's success. Since its establishment in 1968, HKJA has attached importance to its social responsibility as much as to the needs of our colleagues. Hong Kong needs both truth and reporters. No matter how difficult the road is ahead, HKJA will do our utmost to continue to stand high and shoulder to shoulder. In the face of an uncertain future, we have no other request from our friends and partners other than your encouragement. Our humble wish is to continue to receive words of encouragement even if they may be soft and low."

Chan speaks to reporters after his release

By this afternoon Stand News was shut down, its employees all laid off. By 11pm tonight the website was shut down as well as its social media like Twitter accounts.

More than 200 police officers were involved in Wednesday's crackdown, raiding the Stand News office in Kwun Tong with a warrant, and took away 33 boxes of evidence, including computers and journalistic material, and also searching the homes of some of the accused.

At a press conference today, Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu justified the arrests of the seven which led to Stand News' demise.

"Anybody who attempts to make use of media work as a tool to pursue their political purpose or other interests [and] contravenes the law, particularly offences that endanger national security, they are the evil elements that damage press freedom," Lee said.

Barrister Margaret Ng was arrested by police

"Professional media workers should recognise that these are the bad apples who are abusing their position simply by wearing a false coat of media worker and then, using that position, abuse news as a tool, to pursue their own purposes. They will pollute press freedom. Professional media workers should recognise this, say no to these people and stand far from them."

Senior Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah, of the police force's National Security Department, said they froze Stand News' assets as they questioned where the money came from as the news outlet did not accept sponsors or receive many advertising fees. 

The police also questioned how Stand News could have the money to open a bureau in the UK and if a conspiracy had occurred. 

Stand News was founded on December 29, 2014 and shut down almost seven days later to the day on December 27, 2021.

It became known for its on-the-ground reporting, particularly during the 2019 protests and was a go-to source for news for opposition-leaning readers. Its reporters also did investigative stories, including the latest one on two senior immigration officials allegedly receiving gift hampers from embattled developer China Evergrande.

Screenshot from Ho's live stream of Yuen Long

By law civil servants are not allowed to receive gifts worth more than HK$3,000, but these hampers were priced at HK$3,388. One of the officials surmised that the hampers were bought during an early-bird special so they actually cost under HK$3,000...

During the 2019 protests, it drew 3.8 million viewers when its then reporter Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam, live streamed the attacks in the Yuen Long MTR station on July 21, 2019, and she herself was attacked by the white-clad men with rods. Her video was a chilling record of what happened that night.

But Stand News is no more. 

There are fewer places for Hongkongers to get their news. If anything the mainlandisation of Hong Kong continues to steamroll on, making press freedom in the city even more fragile by the day.

Hong Kong Sends Warning Shot to WSJ

Tsang threatened to take "necessary action" against WSJ

The Hong Kong government continues to be on the offensive against anyone who may seem to be appear to be directing people on how to vote in the upcoming Legislative Council elections on December 19.

Its latest salvo was against the Wall Street Journal which published an editorial last Tuesday that said because the city's electoral system has been completely overhauled so that only "patriots" hold political power, so that "boycotts and blank votes are one of the last ways for Hongkongers to express their political views".

A screenshot of Tsang's letter headline

Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai took offence to the editorial and threatened "to take necessary action".

He wrote a letter to the WSJ dated December 1, but in it he mentions the election "next month". Nevertheless, the letter was printed in full with the headline: "Hong Kong Issues a Threat to the WSJ", hinting that freedom of the press was also being intimidated.

Tsang claimed there were "factual inaccuracies and baseless assumptions" in the WSJ editorial.

In his letter, Tsang claimed to be "shocked" that Hongkongers could only either cast a blank vote or boycott the election.

"Please be advised that inciting another person not to vote, or to cast invalid vote, by activity in public during election period is an offence under... the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, irrespective whether the incitement is made in Hong Kong or abroad," he wrote. "We reserve the right to take necessary action."

Chan says WSJ made a statement, not opinion

Last month Tsang also wrote to Bloomberg about its article about the upcoming election, claiming it was "sensationalist and biased reporting" that was "extremely deplorable".

However, Hong Kong Journalists Association chairman Ronson Chan Ron-sing expressed doubts over the need for Tsang to issue such warnings to a media outlet.

"The WSJ only made a statement that boycotts and blank votes are one of the ways voters can choose to express their political views. You can disagree with the WSJ and put forward your arguments." he said.

"Warning that it is against the law serves no purpose, and only makes you look like you are losing your bearings."

Ouch, but true.

Security Chief Targets Journalist Association

Tang wants HKJA to reveal member list and financial records

 

Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung is very busy these days, constantly on the attack on various targets, and now it's the Hong Kong Journalists' Association.

In a war of words, Tang has accused the HKJA for leading young people astray, going into schools to recruit students as reporters and claiming they aren't properly trained, and wants the professional body to release the membership list and financial records for further scrutiny.

The HKJA hit back, saying Tang's argument is "illogical", saying divulging who its members are would violate privacy laws, and that student reporters only make up 13 percent of its member base.

Chan (left) rebutted Tang's attacks on Wednesday

While speaking to reporters in the Legislative Council Tang said: "My understanding is that journalists need to be trained and accredited professionally, and have certain professional beliefs, values and ethics... If a student can be a student journalist, then how professional are the journalists under the association?"

Tang rebutted and said: "[The HKJA] should explain, for example, in the past five years, did you visit any school and promote your own political ideas?" he said.

"To alleviate public doubts, the association should also consider disclosing the [amount of] money it has received in recent years, as well as the sources of that founding, and whether it was donated by foreign political organizations or people with clear political inclinations."

It is Tang who trying to sow the seeds of doubt, not the public. He is trying to apply pressure to the HKJA in a bid to make it fold, but the group is standing firm -- for now.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the association responded: "We are of the view that Tang's suggestion is illogical and simply incomprehensible. We hope the secretary can understand that the media agency a member works for is also part of his or her personal data.

Chan says HK still has freedom of the press

"We cannot disclose a member's personal data without his or her consent. [Tang's request] is no different than asking us to breach the privacy law."

The HKJA said it has 486 members, 331 are full members, 22 associate members, and 34 public relations members. There are also 56 student members and 43 retired or permanent members. The association did not disclose any names or the media agencies their members were from.

In a separate briefing, HKJA chairman Ronson Chan said the association did not receive any overseas funding.

"We have annual reports and our account statements are audited and furnished annually to the Registry of Trade Unions. If Tang would like to have a look, he can approach the labour secretary for help and there is no need for him to request us publicly to do so," Chan said.

Touche.

He also rejected Tang's suggestion the HKJA was "infiltrating" schools to recruit students.

Chan said that freedom of the press was guaranteed under the Basic Law, and that "all citizens", including schoolchildren and undergraduates, enjoyed the right to undertake reporting tasks in public areas, though he advised them not to put themselves in dangerous situations. 

"What is important is not who is there to cover the event, but what the reporter is doing there and how he or she deals with the situation," Chan said.

Tang accused HKJA of recruiting student reporters

He also suggested Tang be mindful of his comments.

"Tang is a senior official. Is he trying to threaten us or exert pressure on us or just offer some gentle reminders?

"The journalists association has not breached the national security law. We have nothing to fear. We will not easily give up and disband in the face of pressure and we will stay put until the very last minute." 

Back in 2019 the HKJA held a fundraising dinner and at least nine of the table sponsors were related to the government, like the MTR, AsiaWorld-Expo, Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland, Urban Renewal Authority, and Hospital Authority. 

Other big corporate sponsors include New World Development, Kowloon Motor Bus Company, PCCW-HKT, Sino Group and Standard Chartered Bank.

Maybe Tang should investigate them too for having links with the HKJA?

More Civil Society Groups Targeted by Police

 

CHRF organized several peaceful marches in 2019

The Hong Kong Police have set their next target on the Civil Human Rights Front, which is best known for organizing the annual July 1 protest marches from 2003 until last year. The group is reportedly disbanding.

And even though the government has said the national security law is not retroactive from July 1, 2020, Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee says CHRF is suspected of violating the national security law in recent years.

Siu says groups can be investigated anytime

Pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao quoted Siu as saying the police will investigate whether CHRF has violated the national security law.

The front had organized some of the biggest peaceful protest marches since the handover, in particular their first rally with over 500,000 protesting against Article 23 and against the extradition bill in 2019.

Siu said the CHRF had never registered with the authorities since its establishment in 2002.

However, every year, the police coordinated with the CHRF in having police officers along the route to ensure the march was orderly.

Nevertheless, Siu said the police are always collecting evidence and can take action against unlawful groups at anytime.

Chan, Sham and Lee (far right) are all in jail now

He added even though well-known figures from CHRF are already behind bars, like Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun, the police can still investigate other key members and charge them.

The police are using the national security law to pressure groups to disband even though they may have not done anything legally wrong up to July 1, 2020. 

But in the hopes of avoiding the force from possibly arresting members and freezing bank accounts like what happened to Apple Daily, groups like the Professional Teachers' Union and now the CHRF hope they can try to wind things up quickly and not get in trouble with the law.

Except it seems that once they are targeted, that's the beginning of the end, no matter how they try to continue to exist -- they can't.

HKJA may be the next police target

While the PTU will disband soon, the group still has to sell off its various properties and ensure some 200 staff are paid in full. Having to sell quickly means the union will not necessarily get good prices for the properties, but it has no choice but to dissolve as quickly as possible.

It's a difficult situation for those affected and those who think they may be next.

The next target? Possibly the Hong Kong Journalists' Association, which a pro-establishment newspaper has described as protecting violence and spreading rumours...

Apple Daily is Raided Again

500 officers were involved in this morning's Next Digital raid

 

Hong Kong's press freedoms continue to erode significantly despite government claims it is still protected.

The city woke up this morning to read the news that five executives from Apple Daily were arrested for allegedly violating the national security law, while the office where the newspaper is produced was swarmed by 500 police officers who took away lots of material, including computers from the newsroom.

This is the second time Apple Daily has been raided -- last August 10, officers descended on the Tseung Kwan O offices, arresting founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in front of staff, while editor in chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong vowed the newspaper would continue to run. And if they were raided again, they would start filming right away.

Editor in chief Ryan Law was arrested today

But this time the police prevented reporters from filming what was going on and limited their movements in the office, and Law himself was arrested at his home, along with four senior executives. 

The police said there were 30 articles that were evidence the paper was conspiring to collude with foreign forces by encouraging foreign countries to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials.

The force also froze assets of three related companies -- Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printed Limited, and AD Internet Limited, amounting to HK$18 million (US$2.43 million). Next Digital suspended trading its shares today.

Watching this unfold in real time was chilling for many journalists, especially those who work for Apple Daily, wondering if this is really the beginning of the end.

Even Lai's right hand man, Mark Simon has fled to the United States, reported in an interview with Reuters. He said he was very concerned about the paper's future.

Later in the day, Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu said endangering national security "is an extremely serious crime. We need to curb such acts with the strongest measures, and consider all effective measures that the law allows."

Lee says to obey the law to avoid violating NSL

He said the raid at 6am this morning was not to target the press, but only to go after a publication that used "news coverage as a tool" to harm national security.

"The suspects tried to make use of journalistic works to collude with foreign countries or external elements to impose sanctions or take hostile action against Hong Kong and the central government. We need to differentiate what the suspects have done from normal journalistic work," he said.

What's "normal journalistic work"?

Lee was also ominous in saying people should cut ties with the five executives.

"Ordinary journalists are different, and should not get involved with them, keep a distance from them," he said in a press conference. "I hereby solemnly declare that: don't associate with these criminals endangering national security, you will pay a hefty price if [you] stand with these criminals, [you] should cut ties with these criminals before it's too late to repent."

He has already labelled the five as criminals before they have even gone to trial.

Police took lots of material including Lee'

Lee's advice to members of the media? "So the answer is simple: do your journalistic work as freely as you like in accordance with the law, provided you do not conspire or have any intention to break the Hong Kong law, and certainly not the Hong Kong national security law."

Meanwhile Chris Yeung Kin-hing, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association described the raid as "shocking" and "scary".

He told RTHK it was "quite scary" that the force was building a case around a number of newspaper articles, some of which date back to 2019 -- before the national security law was even implemented.

"Officials had repeatedly assured people that there would not be a retrospective effect of the law, but in practice, or in the enforcement of the law, it seems that's just empty words," Yeung said.

He added the latest developments will undoubtedly send a chill across the whole of society and will exacerbate self-censorship within the news industry.

"The fact that police seized and searched journalists' materials... there had been no protection to journalistic materials. That would create a chilling effect on not just the media, but for the public who will feel unsafe and uneasy talking to the media."

Reporters continue to file stories for tomorrow

Nevertheless, Apple Daily's reporters soldiered on, returned to the office to file stories and now after midnight, trucks are being loaded with 500,000 copies of the paper and being distributed across the city.

Copies will undoubtedly be snatched up tomorrow morning, a small act of support for what Apple Daily stands for. 

Hours before his arrest, editor in chief Law wrote a letter to readers.

"We want to be a newspaper for the people of Hong Kong."

Despite wanting to be a Hong Kong paper, how much longer can it sustain attacks that are financial, and now political?

RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong Abruptly Axed

This RTHK opinion show was suddenly axed on Sunday

 

The dismemberment of Radio Television Hong Kong continues to gather pace with the axing of a short weekly program called "Letter to Hong Kong".

It gives airtime to politicians and public figures to talk about a specific issue they want to address and it's on average eight to 10 minutes long.

The letter is written and recorded in English, so the speaker's oral skills may not be as good as a radio host, but many do have interesting things they want to say, or make a rebuttal to an issue in the news, or promote a cause that is worthy of the public's attention.

Mo's letter supported those in jail and was yanked

There was a balance of guests, some pro-establishment, some pan-democrats, or well-known figures. The last person to read his "Letter to Hong Kong" this past Sunday was businessman Allan Zeman, chairperson of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, who talked about the pandemic.

However the new head of RTHK Patrick Li Pak-chuen has canceled episodes at the last minute, leaving the station's staff scrambling for replacement items. 

In April, the "Letter to Hong Kong" featuring Tuen Mun district councillor Michael Mo Kwan-tai was yanked, possibly because he sent Easter greetings to those in detention and thanked them for their spirit of sacrifice.

"We may lose a battle, but we must not lose our determination to resist," he said.

The episode was suspended three days before it was to air and was replaced with Eugene Chan, President of the pro-Beijing Association of Hong Kong Professionals and a former chairperson of RTHK's board of advisors.

Also Chris Yeung Kin-hing, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association was told his appearance would be postponed in April. Looks like never.

Zeman read the last Letter to HK

"Letter to Hong Kong" will now be replaced by a show called "#Hashtag Hong Kong", where music will be played and NGOs will be invited to discuss livelihood issues. The first episode features Patrick Cheung Chi-hung, chairperson of the children's rights group Against Child Abuse, who called for mandatory reporting of child abuse.

Sounds pretty intense. But one presumes eventually there will be groups on the show talking about beach clean-ups, food waste, and recycling clothes...

 

HK Press Freedom Under Attack on World Press Freedom Day

RTHK contributor Bao Choy was convicted last month

 

Today is World Press Freedom Day and ironically press freedom in Hong Kong is under attack with the sacking of Cantonese-speaking RTHK journalist Nabela Qoser, and the publicly funded broadcaster is deleting stories and programs from the internet that are over a year old, signalling its opportunity to rewrite history.

Qoser, a Hong Kong-born journalist of Pakistani descent was known for her pointed, critical questions at government officials during the 2019 anti-government protests. But after complaints about her reporting, she was put under investigation and her contract was was terminated in January, and then she was put on temporary contract until the end of this month.

Qoser must leave RTHK at the end of May

In the investigation she was cleared of wrongdoing, but another probe was reopened last October.

And then it was discovered RTHK has begun deleting news stories and programs over a year old on its website and social media accounts.

RTHK claimed this practice was consistent with its policy, and documentaries from Hong Kong Connection and episodes from the axed satirical show Headliner were among the first to be taken down from YouTube.

Some Hongkongers are now rushing to save whatever is left on the RTHK sites to prevent them from being disappeared by putting them on a blockchain content-sharing platform.

"After [RTHK] was painted red by [director of broadcasting] Patrick Li Pak-chuen, all its contents will be removed from the shelves. To ensure history will not be forgotten, internet users have decided to upload the programs here," said a statement posted on an online platform called "SaveRTHK".

Lui says deleting programs against public interest

Bruce Lui, a journalism lecturer at Baptist University said RTHK may be the owner of the programs, but removing them from the internet is against public interest and a waste of taxpayer money.

"News is the first draft of history and also the public can look at it afterwards and learn what happened in the past. If we delete those records, it's sort of clearing the history so that the public won't have a very good picture of what happened," he said.

He noted many of the programs removed were related to the social unrest of 2019.

"The government and Beijing are trying very hard to create their own version of history, so they can have their mainstream definition and it will also take away embarrassment and wrongdoings of the government," he said. 

Screen shot of RTHK's deleted shows on YouTube

"In the future, people will only know the government's version, without knowing the civilian version of history."

How chilling is that? The authorities are attempting to whitewash what happened only two years ago even though people not only have other sources of news to look up, but also first-hand experiences of being in the protests. The government is basically negating their actions, or prosecuting them.

And on top of what happened today,  Hong Kong's press freedom index as rated by journalists has sunk to an all time low thanks to the government's imposition of the national security law last June.

In a joint survey by the Hong Kong Journalists Association and the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, 367 journalists were surveyed and gave the city's press freedom a score of 32.1 out of 100, even lower than the previous record last year of 36.2.

HKJA's chairman Chris Yeung Kin-hing warned "the worst is yet to come".

"The chilling effect of the national security law will become more prevalent and intrusive in every aspect of [our society]. I don't think there is any room for optimism," he told a press conference today, predicting the index would drop again.

Yeung worries HK press freedom will worsen

Up to 85 percent of the journalists surveyed said the government is the source of media suppression. 

A staggering 99 percent of all the respondents said the enactment last June of the national security law had harmed press freedom, with 77 percent saying the legislation caused "great damage". 

When asked to rate a list of 2020 incidents for their repercussions for the industry, 99 percent agreed the prosecution of RTHK contributor Bao Choy Yuk-ling was harmful to press freedom.

She was recently found guilty of knowingly making a false statement when tracing the ownership of vehicles that were apparently used to ferry white-shirted men to Yuen Long MTR station to assault people there on the night of July 21, 2019. Choy was fined HK$6,000 (US$772).

Then 98 percent of respondents told the survey the August 2020 raid of Next Digital's offices -- headquarters of Apple Daily -- also triggered a decline in press freedom.

Yeung was concerned the government may be shifting to follow the mainland, where the media is used as a propaganda tool for the central government.

Police raid of Next Digital last August

It certainly looks like RTHK is being muzzled and with the deletion of previous content, it is paving the way for recreating a new version of Hong Kong's history. This should ring alarm bells for anyone in the city and around the world about what is happening here and more attention needs to be paid to the situation.

But with everyone too busy fighting the pandemic, and bickering over getting vaccinated or not, Hong Kong's rights and freedoms continue to erode even further, making one wonder when they will bottom out...

Hong Kong's Press Freedom Under Assault

After the verdict Choy said: "Uncovering the truth is not a crime"

 

Press freedom in Hong Kong was under attack again today, with journalists no longer able to use public records to do investigative reporting for the public good without being prosecuted.

Bao Choy Yuk-ling, 37, is the first person to be convicted related to the July 21, 2019 mob attacks in Yuen Long, and yet she did not carry a stick and violently beat people in the MTR station that night.

There were an estimated 100 men in white shirts with sticks who assaulted commuters, and yet only 63 people have been arrested and yet to be brought to justice.

White-shirted men assaulted people July 2019

But the first person to be found guilt is the journalist who told the truth.

Through security surveillance video footage of the attacks, Choy went to the Transport Department's vehicle registration database to find out who owned vehicles that ferried some of those white-shirted attackers to the station, and how the police were slow to attend to the scene where 45 people were injured.

That information Choy found was reported in a documentary called "7.21: Who owns the truth", that has just won the Hong Kong Journalists' Association's Kam Yiu-yu Press Freedom Award, with judges praising it for the journalists' "detailed and professional search on public records".

Notably RTHK declined the award, as its head is in the midst of overhauling the public broadcaster's programs for political correctness.

In her verdict, Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui Yee-mei found Choy guilty of providing false statements, that she sought details of car ownership for reporting purposes rather than transport-related reasons. Chui fined Choy HK$6,000, or HK$3,000 for two counts of knowingly making false statements. The maximum penalty would have been six months in prison.

Choy tearfully spoke to the media after verdict

Despite not being named in the documentary, one of the car's owners filed a complaint to the police, which led to Choy's arrest in November.

When requesting the car ownership information, there is no box to tick "for media purposes", but only "others", which she did.

"I am of the view that whether the defendant had sought the information out of good faith was unimportant," Chui said. "I can be sure that the defendant... knew clearly she made the applications for the purposes of searching, interviewing, and reporting, none of which falls under the three options offered by the Transport Department."

Outside the court, Choy was tearful, but defiant.

"Today the court found me liable for a crime, but I firmly believe searching public records is not an offence, and neither is [upholding] press freedom," she said.

Standing next to her was Chris Yeung Kin-hing, chairman of the HKJA, who said today was "a dark day for the Hong Kong press".

Choy's supporters: "Journalism is not a crime"

He criticized the government for undermining press freedom the public's right to know, adding officials were, in effect, sheltering people with something to hide.

Dozens of supporters behind them, many RTHK workers, held signs that read "Journalism is not a crime" and "Defend press freedom".

Needless to say Choy's former employer, the government broadcaster, is not footing her legal expenses -- she is left on her own.

The government is making it harder for journalists to do their jobs. Last month Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor saw no point in giving reporters the privilege to conduct record searches using government databases, stressing the need to prevent doxxing or weaponising of personal information.

In addition the government says other public registers, including those on marriage status, land ownership and company particulars are under review to determine whether further similar administrative measures to protect data privacy are needed.

This move just makes it easier for corruption to happen more easily in Hong Kong, with no ability to hold any one accountable for anything.

Yeung (left) says today dark day for HK media

While Lam thinks this will not affect the financial markets, she is wrong. Capitalism depends on freedom of information. When it becomes more opaque, there is less trust in the system, which will only make Hong Kong's strength in the finance and banking fields atrophy and eventually wither away.

In the meantime Choy deserves to be rallied around for her courage. "I hope as a profession we can defend our value and our role, we cannot give in," she said.

 

HK's Press Freedom Under Threat

How much longer can the media report freely in Hong Kong?

Press freedom continues to be eroding at a fast clip in Hong Kong.

On Tuesday it was revealed in a proposal to the Legislative Council it was up to the individuals who own the companies to decide how much information to make available on the Companies Registry, which in turn will be harder for journalists to find information of owners and shareholders to do investigative work.

Lam says journalists shouldn't have privileges

When asked about this new change at a press conference that day, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor seemed to reveal her contempt for the media.

"Personal information should be protected... It should not be disclosed unless there is a crucial need for it to be made public," Lam said.

"I cannot see the reason for journalists to have that privilege. Why should information that is not available to others be accessible to journalists? None of the people in Hong Kong should enjoy such privilege."

And now Hong Kong courts have stopped providing personal details of people standing trial as well as the police officers handling the cases. Information on the defendant's ID card number, name, addresses and date of birth has now been redacted since March 30.

Previously all this information, including the defendant's age, gender, nationality and occupation were readily available on a charge document.

Yeung says judiciary should release info to media

Chris Yeung Kin-hing of the Hong Kong Journalists Association said the decision was not in line "with the principle of open justice the judiciary has promised".

He added: "We are disappointed that the judiciary, which should function independently, seems to have followed the moves by the executive authorities to impose tighter restrictions on access to court information.

"Journalists have used that information for reporting. There have been no cases of misuse of abuses. We urge the judiciary to reconsider their decision and remove the curbs on the press."

And if that wasn't enough, the new director of broadcasting at RTHK is withdrawing all of the broadcaster's entries for various awards.

Government appointed career bureaucrat Patrick Li Pak-chuen assumed the post on March 1 and since then has been reviewing every single program and pulling them off the air if he deems them "one-sided" or have "inaccuracies".

Lam praised him on Tuesday for doing exactly what she asked of him.

Li wants withdrawal of all RTHK award entries

The submissions for these awards were made earlier, and RTHK has been praised locally and internationally for its quality documentaries and shows.

The Human Rights Press Awards revealed that Li asked to withdraw RTHK's entries "in totality", but said it was unable to comply with his request.

"Because the judging process for the Human Rights Press Awards is already underway, and because entries can only be withdrawn by the individual who submitted them, HRPA has not withdrawn RTHK's entries," a post on social media said.

One wonders how Li feels about not being able to have his way, and if RTHK wins, will he prevent its journalists from collecting the award?

Press freedom in Hong Kong is under serious threat -- how can journalists stop its erosion any further?

 

No Access to Freedom of Information Threatens Press Freedom

Less freedom to access information means less press freedom

Freedom of the press is being seriously threatened in Hong Kong with the government making it harder for reporters to get access to public information to hold individuals, organizations and companies accountable.

The media uses public records to find out the ownership of cars, properties, companies and even information of executives of public companies in order to determine who is responsible for certain actions or decisions, and now the government is proposing to shield these people.

In a proposal submitted to the Legislative Council on Monday, the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau said companies should be first given the option to withhold information, such as residential address and full identification numbers of directors and secretaries.

Choy was arrested for her investigative work

Then, from October 2022, all company documents submitted to the registry that contains "protected information",  such as residential addresses, can be hidden from public view.

The only people who can have access to this information are the executives themselves, their companies, officials and members of "public organizations".

By late 2023, all companies will be able to apply to withhold "protected information" from the registry.

The government is planning to submit this legislation to Legco in May.

Journalists use this information to do investigative stories, and they can verify hunches or tips by going through public records. 

After the July 21, 2019 attacks in Yuen Long, RTHK producer Bao Choy Yuk-ling and the investigative team went through the tons of video clips of the violent incident and found the alleged attackers rode in vehicles that trace back to community leaders in the New Territories.

So she went to the car registry to request information on the owners of those vehicles.

Choy traced the ownership of the van in 2019

These kinds of searches are considered routine for journalists, but not this time.

In November 2020 Choy was arrested on suspicion of making false statements under the Road Traffic Ordinance when requesting information on the ownership of the vehicles.

That is an attack on press freedom, and now this proposal by the government -- not by companies or organizations -- will further hinder the media's efforts to find out what is going on, who is responsible and connections between people.

This will prevent the media from finding out information of executives of public companies that are supposed to be transparent and accountable to shareholders.

It will also make it harder for the media to find corruption, to trace the movement of money, to find how much property a Chinese official or his offspring and relatives own in Hong Kong, what shell companies they hold and the vehicles they own.

As a result the Hong Kong Journalists Association is strongly opposed to the government's proposal, calling for its immediate withdrawal.

HKJA's Cheng says people have right to know

The association said the government should instead enact a freedom of information law -- as well as an archives law -- to protect the people's right to know.

HKJA also points out the proposal has no clause to allow journalists to find out information in a transparent way, and adds this kind of research is not just limited to the media, but also academics and investors doing research on public companies and want to know if it is worth investing in or not. This affects the free flow of information.

Hong Kong's financial system is based not only on rule of law, but also freedom of information and freedom of the press.

When both these are under threat, who will continue to feel comfortable in investing in Hong Kong if they cannot find out the information they need to make an informed decision?

The city government is shooting itself in the foot by doing this, but it is only following the lead of the mainland to become more opaque. And this will only lead to the fall of Hong Kong as a financial hub. The dismantling of institutions here continues its fast pace in 2021.