In Hong Kong, a court is preparing to sentence two journalists on Thursday in a significant sedition case that is being closely watched as a measure of media freedom in a city that was once renowned for its press freedom in Asia. Chung Pui-kuen, the former editor-in-chief of Stand News, and Patrick Lim, the former acting editor-in-chief, are facing sentencing in a case that marks the first time journalists have been convicted under a colonial-era sedition law since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule in 1997.
Stand News was one of the few remaining news outlets in Hong Kong that dared to criticize the authorities as Beijing initiated a crackdown on dissidents after the widespread pro-democracy protests in 2019. The news outlet shut down shortly after the closure of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, founded by Jimmy Lai, who is currently facing collusion charges under a stringent national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
Chung and Lam were found guilty last month of conspiring to publish and reproduce seditious publications along with Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Ltd., the holding company of Stand News. They could face up to two years in prison and a fine of 5,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $640). The judge in the case, Kwok Wai-king, stated in his verdict that Stand News had been used as a tool to smear the Beijing and Hong Kong governments during the 2019 protests.
Judge Kwok also mentioned that Lam and Chung were aware of and agreed with the seditious intent of the articles published under their leadership. The court ruled that Stand News was used as a platform to incite hatred against the Beijing and Hong Kong governments, as well as the judiciary. Both Lam and Chung have denied the charges against them and emphasized their journalistic mission in their mitigation letters.
Their trial, which commenced in October 2022, spanned around 50 days. The sentencing was delayed multiple times for various reasons, including awaiting the outcome of an appeal in another significant sedition case. The pair spent nearly a year in detention following their arrests before being released on bail towards the end of 2022.
Hong Kong’s media freedom has been on a decline, with the city ranking 135 out of 180 territories in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. Self-censorship has become increasingly common amid the political crackdown on dissent since the 2019 protests. Reports of harassment against journalists have surged, and concerns have been raised about further limitations on press freedom following the enactment of a new security law by the city government in March.