Media Freedom Coalition Statement on Stand News in Hong Kong

The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition are deeply concerned about the conviction of the former editors of Stand News and the broader suppression of press freedom in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Journalism is not a crime. Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam have been prosecuted for more than two and a half years. Their convictions come against a broader backdrop of increased self-censorship in the media and the Hong Kong authorities’ hostility toward local and foreign journalists and their representative bodies, particularly since the introduction of the National Security Law in June 2020. The introduction of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in March 2024 further hampers the free exchange of opinion and information that is vital to Hong Kongers, Hong Kong’s institutions, and Hong Kong’s international reputation as an open place to do business.

Media freedom has historically been central to Hong Kong’s success and is an essential foundation for a free and inclusive society. To enable media workers to safely fulfil their legitimate role in scrutinising government policies and actions, journalism must not be persecuted under the guise of national security.

We urge the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to abide by their international human rights commitments and legal obligations, and to respect freedom of the press and freedom of expression in Hong Kong, in accordance with the Basic Law and the recommendations of China’s 2024 Universal Periodic Review and Hong Kong’s 2022 Review of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

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