Stand News, a pro-democracy news outlet in Hong Kong, along with its former chief editors, were convicted of sedition, marking the first such conviction since the city came under Chinese rule in 1997. The crackdown on free speech in the former British colony has led to critics of China being jailed or forced into exile after massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Editors Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam were the first journalists to be found guilty of sedition since Britain handed over Hong Kong to China. They were responsible for Stand News, a popular Chinese-language website during the 2019 protests, before it was raided and shut down in December 2021.
The court found them guilty of “conspiracy to publish and reproduce seditious publications,” with the parent company, Best Pencil Limited, also being convicted. The sentencing is scheduled for September 26, with a maximum penalty of two years in prison under the colonial-era law. The use of archaic legislation like sedition laws has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates, saying it undermines journalism. The case has been described as an attack on press freedom and has raised concerns about the state of free speech in Hong Kong.
Global consulates and media professionals have shown support during the trial, with the United States condemning the prosecution as creating a chilling effect on the press. The future of journalism in Hong Kong remains uncertain as the crackdown on dissent continues.
© 2024 AFP
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