Journalists Rate Press Freedom Lowest Ever
An annual survey that ranks press freedom in Hong Kong has seen journalists give their lowest rating since it began. Asked to rank press freedom out of 100, the average score from 250 journalists came out at 25, down 0.7 from last year and down 17 points from when the survey launched in 2013.
The average score given by the public was 42.2, which was actually an increase of 0.8 from the previous year. The Hong Kong Journalists Association, which publishes the survey, said “This discrepancy [between journalists and the public] may be explained by the relatively less heated discussion around Article 23 compared to the 2020 National Security Law …” Article 23 is legislation introduced this year which has “created new offenses, increased penalties for existing offenses and given the government even more sweeping powers of enforcement” for offenses deemed national security issues, according to Amnesty International.
“[J]ournalists are more cognizant of potentially running afoul of the new crimes created by Article 23 when reporting, such as offenses related to state secrets,” The Hong Kong Journalists Association added.
In a press briefing, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the security laws “target a very small number of individuals who severely endanger national security, not law-abiding media reporters.”
Jimmy Lai Appeal Rejected
On August 12, Jimmy Lai (黎智英), founder of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, had his appeal against a conviction for taking part in an unauthorized assembly rejected.
The appeal refers to an April 2021 ruling that saw Lai sentenced to 15 months in prison for a protest held on August 18, 2019, reduced by three months in mitigation. But it also refers to a subsequent appeal against that ruling in August 2023. That appeal was partially successful in striking off a conviction for organizing the protest, while the conviction for taking part remained in place. The new ruling, from Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, upholds the conviction for taking part in the protest.
A separate trial, for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious material, was adjourned for four months on July 25, leading to expressions of concern about the length of the process itself.
U.K. Judge Quits Media Freedom Advocacy Group
After serving on the court panel which dismissed Lai’s appeal, David Neuberger, the former president of the U.K.’s supreme court, resigned as an advisor to the Media Freedom Coalition last week.
Neuberger faced pressure from a range of sources over his involvement in the decision, with the director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute saying: “My view is that the law in Hong Kong is being weaponized and used against the pro-Democracy movement. I do not think U.K. judges should sit on the court, and nor should U.K. lawyers participate in prosecuting cases, and I have made that view very clear.”
The Media Freedom Coalition is an NGO that advocates for press freedom. Neuberger served on its High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom.
Amnesty International Briefing
On July 25, Amnesty International’s latest briefing paper on Hong Kong called on the Hong Kong and Chinese governments to repeal the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (known as Article 23 legislation). It also called for the release of all prisoners detained for exercising freedom of expression, for authorities to facilitate the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and for powers of law enforcement to be consistent with fair trials.
In doing so, Amnesty said Hong Kong’s government is legally bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and domestic legislation to enforce human rights. It also said that other states have a responsibility to use all bilateral, multilateral and regional platforms to pressure Hong Kong into fulfilling its obligations.
Bloomberg Journalist Denied Visa
This week, Bloomberg journalist Haze Fan (范若伊) was denied a visa to work in Hong Kong, according to the Hong Kong Free Press. “[T]he immigration authorities declined to issue her a visa, without explanation,” a notice from Bloomberg’s Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait said.
Fan was arrested in China in 2021 on charges of “endangering state security,” according to the Chinese Embassy in Washington. Bloomberg had hoped to move her from its London bureau to its Hong Kong bureau.
‘One Country, Two Systems’ Pitched at Taiwan
Shi Taifeng (石泰峰), head of China’s United Front Work Department, has said in a speech that “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong will “provide an important reference and play an important role in realizing the complete reunification of the motherland,” referring to the prospect of unifying with Taiwan. Speaking at the Overseas Chinese World Conference for Promoting Peaceful Reunification of China, Shi went on to say that Hong Kong’s experience under “one country, two systems” was a “universally recognized success.”
At the same conference, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) said, “Hong Kong’s success since its return to the motherland has fully demonstrated that ‘one country, two systems’ is a good system for solving problems left over by history, and for promoting world peace and development.”
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