Former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen says freedom of expression shouldn’t be restricted on the grounds of “eradicating harmful concepts.”
A Hong Kong courtroom has discovered two former editors-in-chief of the now-defunct pro-democracy information outlet Stand Information responsible of sedition, in a landmark case that comes amid a safety crackdown within the Chinese language-ruled metropolis.
District Courtroom Choose Kwok Wai-kin introduced the decision on Thursday, discovering former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen and former performing editor-in-chief Patrick Lam responsible of conspiring to publish seditious publications based mostly on 17 articles.
The choose didn’t instantly hand down a sentence, however the couple may now face a most sentence of as much as two years in jail and a effective of HK$5,000 (about $640) underneath a colonial-era sedition regulation.
Reporting from Hong Kong, Al Jazeera’s Laura Westbrook stated the trial was “being seen as a litmus take a look at for press freedom within the metropolis”, noting that it was the primary sedition trial in opposition to Hong Kong journalists for the reason that former British colony was handed again to China in 1997.
“Individuals will interpret this verdict as one other worrying signal that the freedoms Hong Kong loved have been slowly diminishing,” he stated, referring to worldwide journalists and information organisations.
Stand Information closed in 2021 after an enormous police raid on its workplace through which two journalists had been arrested together with 5 employees members.
It was one of many final media shops within the metropolis to overtly criticize the federal government amid a crackdown on dissent that adopted huge pro-democracy protests in 2019.
‘Eradicate harmful concepts’
The sedition case centred on 17 articles, together with tales that includes former pro-democracy politicians Nathan Legislation and Ted Hui, who’re a part of a bunch of overseas-based activists for whom Hong Kong police have supplied rewards for his or her seize.
Different articles included interviews with three members in a major election organised by the pro-democracy camp in 2020, and commentary by Legislation and veteran journalists Allan Au and Chan Pui-man.
Prosecutors stated among the articles helped promote “unlawful ideologies” in addition to discredit the safety regulation and regulation enforcement officers. They described Stand Information as a political platform in addition to a web based information outlet.
“Freedom of speech shouldn’t be restricted on the grounds of eradicating harmful concepts, however must be used to eradicate harmful concepts,” Chung stated through the trial, through which she denied that Stand Information was a political platform. Her former colleague, Lam, didn’t seem in courtroom.
Finest Pencil (Hong Kong) Ltd, the mother or father firm of the outlet, was convicted on the identical cost. It was not represented through the trial, which started in October 2022.
Stand Information was shut down simply months after the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Each day, whose jailed founder Jimmy Lai is preventing collusion fees underneath a sweeping nationwide safety regulation enacted in 2020.
Days after its closure, unbiased information outlet Citizen Information additionally introduced it could stop operations, citing the deteriorating media surroundings and potential dangers to its employees.
Hong Kong ranked one hundred and thirty fifth out of 180 territories in Reporters With out Borders’ newest World Press Freedom Index, up from eightieth in 2021. Self-censorship has additionally grow to be extra distinguished through the political crackdown on dissent.
In March, the town authorities enacted one other new safety regulation that many journalists say may additional restrict press freedoms.
The Hong Kong authorities insists the town nonetheless enjoys freedom of the press, as assured by its mini-constitution.
