New Delhi: The Media Freedom Coalition strongly condemned the guilty verdict against the two former editors of pro-democracy newspaper Stand News, saying it is a further blow to press freedom in the semi-autonomous region, a UK government press release stated.
“Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam have been prosecuted for over two and a half years. Their guilty verdict comes against a backdrop of increased media self-censorship and the hostility by Hong Kong authorities against local and foreign journalists and their representative bodies, especially since the imposition of the National Security Law in June 2020,” the release read as it raised concerns over introduction of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance 2024.
In a statement, the Media Freedom Coalition said: “The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition are gravely concerned about the guilty verdict against the former editors of Stand News and the wider suppression of media freedom in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”
The statement has been signed by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States. The countries urged Hong Kong and China authorities to abide by international human rights commitment and legal obligations respecting freedom speech, expressions and those of the press.
“Media freedom has been a central factor for Hong Kong’s success in the past and is an essential foundation of a free and inclusive society. To enable media workers to safely fulfil their legitimate role in scrutinising government policy and actions, journalism should not be prosecuted under the guise of national security,” the statement added.