Hong Kong’s Stand News: A Defiant Voice Silenced

Following a police raid, Stand News, an online media outlet known for its bold reporting on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, shut down to prevent further arrests. Two editors were convicted for sedition. The outlet’s demise highlights deteriorating media freedoms in Hong Kong and represents a significant moment for independent journalism.

Following a police raid that led to the arrest of two editors, Stand News, a prominent online media outlet in Hong Kong, has ceased operations in an effort to avoid further arrests. Known for its uncompromising coverage of the 2019 pro-democracy protests, the outlet saw its readership soar during this period.

On December 29, 2021, Stand News staff hurriedly deleted their archives, having been left with a largely empty newsroom following the police intervention. According to Louise, a former video journalist, the staff found the loss of their work deeply frustrating. The subsequent court ruling found former chief editor Chung Pui-kuen and another editor, Patrick Lam, guilty of conspiring to publish seditious materials.

This case marks the first instance of journalist sedition convictions since Hong Kong's sovereignty transfer in 1997, underscoring what critics, including the U.S. government, describe as an erosion of media freedoms amid a broad security crackdown. Stand News had evolved from a struggling non-profit to a widely read platform, playing a crucial role in the changing media landscape of Hong Kong. Despite the guilty verdicts, former staff members remain proud of their work and view the outlet as a symbol of freedom and democracy.

(With inputs from agencies.)