A Hong Kong court is set to render a verdict on Thursday for two former editors of a closed news organization in a case that is considered a test of media freedom in the city. Former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen and former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam of Stand News were arrested in December 2021 for allegedly conspiring to publish seditious materials. The trial, the first of its kind in Hong Kong since its return to China’s rule in 1997, has been postponed multiple times awaiting the outcome of another significant sedition case.
Stand News was among the few media outlets in Hong Kong that openly criticized the government amid a crackdown on dissent following the 2019 pro-democracy protests. The closure of Stand News, similar to the shutdown of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, highlighted the challenges faced by independent media in the city under the national security law implemented in 2020.
Chung and Lam are facing charges under a colonial-era sedition law that has been increasingly used to suppress dissent. If convicted, they could receive up to two years in prison and a fine of 5,000 Hong Kong dollars for a first offense. The case revolves around 17 articles, featuring pro-democracy figures and commentaries critical of the security law, among other topics.
Despite the ongoing trial, Hong Kong residents have expressed concerns about the shrinking space for critical voices in the city’s media landscape. Self-censorship has become more prevalent as authorities continue to tighten restrictions on freedom of expression. The closure of Stand News and other independent news outlets has raised further alarm about the state of press freedom in Hong Kong.
Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index ranked Hong Kong 135th out of 180 territories, reflecting the deteriorating media environment in the city. Many journalists fear that the introduction of new security laws could further limit press freedom. The Hong Kong government maintains that the city upholds press freedom as guaranteed by its constitution.