HRW Urges Hong Kong to Overturn Journalists' Convictions Amid Crackdown on Media Freedom

Human Rights Watch calls on Hong Kong's government to reverse the politically motivated convictions of two journalists, emphasizing persistent concerns regarding media freedom under the National Security Law in the China-controlled territory.

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called upon the Hong Kong government to overturn what it described as politically motivated convictions of two journalists. The international human rights watchdog also urged the authorities to halt their ongoing attack on media freedom amidst growing concerns over the National Security Law in the region.

On August 29, the Hong Kong District Court convicted two editors from the defunct Stand News. Chung Pui-kuen, the former editor-in-chief, and Patrick Lam, the former acting editor-in-chief, were found guilty of conspiring to publish seditious materials, along with the paper's parent company, Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited. The two journalists could face up to two years in prison.

Maya Wang, Human rights associate China director at HRW, remarked, "The Hong Kong government is sending a dire message to journalists that reporting on issues of public concern will get you thrown in jail." Throughout the 57-day trial, the prosecution presented 17 articles from Stand News as evidence, alleging that the publication aimed to incite hatred against the Hong Kong and central governments. The district court judge, appointed by the government to handle national security cases, determined that 11 of these articles were seditious.

Stand News was forcibly shut down in December 2021 following police raids and the arbitrary arrest of its staff members. The Hong Kong government has been increasingly using an outdated colonial-era sedition law to stifle peaceful expression. This law has been applied to a variety of individuals, from children's book authors to pro-democracy activists. In March, the sedition law was replaced by more stringent national security legislation that imposes penalties of up to seven years in prison.

HRW also highlighted that while numerous governments and the United Nations have expressed concerns about the decline in freedom in Hong Kong since 2020, few have taken substantial actions. The United States stands out as an exception, having imposed targeted sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials in response to the National Security Law.

(With inputs from agencies.)