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/

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?