Two journalists from the now-closed Hong Kong media outlet Stand News, former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen, and former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam, have been found guilty of conspiring to publish seditious materials. This marks the first such convictions since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese control and is seen as a significant blow to press freedom in the city. The trial, closely watched as a bellwether for diminishing press freedom, saw the two journalists arrested after a police raid on Stand News’s newsroom in December 2021.
The court found 11 out of 17 articles published by Stand News to be seditious, promoting “illegal ideologies” and inciting hatred against the governments in Hong Kong and China, as well as the 2020 national security law. The outlet had been a vital source of news during the 2019 pro-democracy protests and was known for its frontline reporting on clashes between police and demonstrators.
Following the raid and arrests, Stand News was forced to shut down, prompting another independent outlet, Citizen News, to also cease operations due to the increasingly risky media environment. In a separate case, a Hong Kong jury convicted one individual under the UN anti-terrorism ordinance for an alleged plan to use explosives and firearms against police during a 2019 protest.
The guilty verdict against the journalists highlights the continued erosion of press freedom in Hong Kong, with authorities targeting outlets seen as supporting pro-democracy movements. The journalists now face potential prison time and fines, with both having spent over 300 days in pre-trial custody. The ruling has been met with international condemnation, with critics saying it shows Hong Kong’s descent into authoritarianism.
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