Repercussions of Stand News Convictions on Press Freedom in Hong Kong
Amnesty International has condemned the recent conviction of former editors from the now-defunct Hong Kong media outlet Stand News, characterizing it as a significant blow to press freedom in the region. Sarah Brooks, the Director of Amnesty International for China, stated, “This dismaying verdict is one more nail in the coffin for press freedom in Hong Kong. Stand News and its two editors convicted today have been targeted simply for doing their legitimate journalistic work.”
This case marks a historical precedent as it is the first trial for sedition—and the first conviction linked to national security—against a media company and individual journalists in Hong Kong since its transfer from British to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Brooks emphasized the potential chilling effects of the verdict, suggesting it may deter journalists from expressing themselves freely and perpetuate an atmosphere of fear fueled by a series of repressive national security laws enacted in recent years.
The court determined that eleven articles published on the Stand News website were classified as “seditious,” which Brooks contended would compel journalists in Hong Kong to self-censor, thus eroding any semblance of an independent press. Furthermore, she urged the Hong Kong authorities to abolish the archaic sedition laws, which represent an outdated form of repression dating back to colonial times, stating, “The journalists convicted today have committed no internationally recognized crime and their conviction should be quashed.”
The background of the case reveals that Chung Pui-kuen, the former chief editor of Stand News, and Patrick Lam, the former acting chief editor, alongside their parent company, Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited, were found guilty of conspiring to publish seditious content according to the Crimes Ordinance. Sentencing for the individuals is scheduled for September 26, 2024, with both editors currently released on bail until that date; they face a maximum of two years imprisonment under the prior sedition law, which was recently amended to incorporate harsher penalties under the new national security legislation—carrying a maximum sentence of ten years.
The prosecution centered around seventeen articles deemed seditious, including various forms of journalism ranging from news reports to opinion pieces. The judicial decision to classify eleven of these articles as seditious has drawn considerable international criticism and has prompted a renewed discussion on the state of press freedom in Hong Kong.
Stand News, a nonprofit digital news source, was compelled to cease its operations and eliminate its website in December 2021 following a major raid by national security police. The trial commenced in October 2022 and has been subject to multiple postponements prior to the long-anticipated verdict and sentencing delivered today. This development underscores the escalating risks faced by journalists operating within Hong Kong’s increasingly restrictive media environment, as they navigate the daunting landscape shaped by national security legislation.
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