In Hong Kong, two journalists who were in charge of a now-closed online news outlet, Stand News, will receive their verdict in a sedition case on Thursday. The outcome of this trial is considered significant for press freedom in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. The trial of former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen and former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam commenced nearly two years ago and marked Hong Kong’s first sedition case involving media since the territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Stand News was an openly critical media platform in Hong Kong after the closure of the Apple Daily newspaper in June 2021. Founded in December 2014 as a non-profit by businessman Tony Tsoi and media veterans Yu Ka-fai and Chung, Stand News aimed to uphold independent editorial standards and emphasized the role of media in holding power accountable. The outlet gained attention during the 2019 anti-government protests for its live streaming from the protests and its critical reporting against the authorities.
The journalists ended up on trial in 2021 amidst a series of crackdowns on civil society groups and activists in Hong Kong following the enforcement of a national security law imposed by Beijing. After a police raid on Stand News’ office on Dec. 29, 2021, Chung and Lam were arrested along with four former board members and Chung’s wife, Chan Pui-Man, a former Apple Daily editor. Stand News was subsequently forced to shut down. While seven individuals were arrested in total, only Chung and Lam were charged in connection with Stand News.
The closures of Apple Daily, Stand News, and Citizen News within a short span has been viewed as a significant setback for Hong Kong’s once dynamic press landscape, reflecting the tightening restrictions on civil liberties. The crackdown following the implementation of the 2020 security law has led to the prosecution, silencing, or exile of many activists. In early 2022, a new security law was enacted, raising concerns about further limitations on civil liberties in the city.
The sedition case against the journalists is based on allegations of conspiring to publish seditious materials, with pro-democracy articles and interviews cited as the prosecution’s evidence. The defendants could potentially face imprisonment and fines if convicted, but they have the right to appeal the ruling. The trial, initially expected to last 20 days, extended to around 50 days with government lawyers arguing that some articles promoted illegal ideologies and criticized the security law and law enforcement officers.
Chung, who pleaded not guilty, defended freedom of speech during the trial, emphasizing that it should not be limited to eradicate dangerous ideas but to challenge and address them. Lam, also pleading not guilty, opted not to testify during the proceedings. The holding company for Stand News, Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Ltd., faces the same charge as the journalists but had no representation at the trial’s start in October 2022. The case is being closely watched as a pivotal moment for press freedom in Hong Kong in light of the government’s continued assertion that the city still maintains its freedoms, subject to certain legal restrictions.
