Hong Kong sentences journalists in sedition case

A Hong Kong court has sentenced two journalists from the pro-democracy newspaper Stand News to prison for sedition, marking the first such case since the 1997 handover from Britain to China.

Chung Pui-kuen received a 21-month sentence, while his colleague Patrick Lam was handed 11 months but was released on medical grounds. The publisher of Stand News, Best Pencil, was fined HK$5,000 (approximately US$643 or £480).

The court’s decision comes after a lengthy trial that began in October 2022, originally set to last only 20 days. District Court Judge Kwok Wai-kin found that 11 articles published by Stand News were seditious, characterizing the outlet as a “danger to national security.” Judge Kwok stated in a written judgment that the newspaper’s editorial stance supported “Hong Kong local autonomy” and had been used as a tool to “smear and vilify” both the Central Authorities in Beijing and the Hong Kong SAR Government.

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Charged under a colonial-era sedition law, rather than the more widely scrutinized national security law (NSL), the case reflects a troubling trend in Hong Kong’s media landscape. Rights groups have condemned the verdict, with Reporters Without Borders labeling it “yet another nail in the coffin for press freedom in Hong Kong.” Since the NSL’s introduction in 2020, numerous media outlets have shuttered their operations, and critics argue that the law undermines the city’s once-cherished judicial independence, facilitating the punishment of activists and dissenters.

Stand News gained prominence during the 2019 pro-democracy protests and remained one of the few openly pro-democratic publications until its closure in December 2021, following a police raid involving over 200 officers. At that time, seven employees were arrested under allegations of conspiring to publish seditious materials, which included interviews with pro-democracy activists. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee supported the police operation, branding those arrested as “evil elements that damage press freedom.”

International scrutiny has intensified, with Western nations expressing strong condemnation. The U.S. State Department criticized the prosecution of Chung and Lam, asserting that it “creates a chilling effect on others in the press and media.” According to the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, Hong Kong’s ranking has plummeted from 18th to 135th place over the past two decades.

Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager for Reporters Without Borders, commented on the situation, stating that the “Hong Kong judiciary has become a political tool, used to threaten those who dare to speak independently.” She further lamented, “Deliberately targeting independent media and its journalists has left a huge void in Hong Kong’s media landscape that will be very difficult to rebuild.”

As Hong Kong continues to grapple with its evolving political landscape, the sentencing of Chung and Lam serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by journalists in a city once celebrated for its vibrant press freedom.