By A Hong Kong court on Thursday convicted two former editors of the now-defunct news outlet Stand News in a landmark sedition case, marking a significant moment for press freedom in the city once celebrated as a bastion of free media in Asia.
Chung Pui-kuen, former editor-in-chief, and Patrick Lam, former acting editor-in-chief of Stand News, were found guilty of conspiracy to publish and reproduce seditious publications. The pair, arrested in December 2021, had pleaded not guilty to the charges. This trial represents Hong Kong’s first sedition case involving media since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Judge Kwok Wai-kin, in his written judgment, stated that Stand News had become “a tool for smearing the Beijing and Hong Kong governments during the 2019 protests.” The case centered on 17 articles, with prosecutors arguing that some promoted “illegal ideologies” or criticized the national security law and law enforcement officers. The judge found seditious intent in 11 of these articles, including commentaries by activist Nathan Law and journalists Allan Au and Chan Pui-man.
The convictions carry potential sentences of up to two years in prison and fines of 5,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately $640) for a first offense. Sentencing is scheduled for September 26, with both defendants released on bail until then.
Stand News, which ceased operations following a police raid in December 2021, was one of Hong Kong’s last media outlets openly critical of the government. Its closure came just months after the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily was shut down, with its founder Jimmy Lai currently facing collusion charges under the sweeping national security law enacted in 2020.
The case has drawn international attention, with Reporters Without Borders condemning the verdict as setting a dangerous precedent and dealing another blow to Hong Kong’s “shattered press freedom.” The organization ranked Hong Kong 135th out of 180 territories in its latest World Press Freedom Index, a significant drop from its 80th position in 2021.
Eric Lai, a research fellow at Georgetown Center for Asian Law, noted that the ruling aligns with an “anti-free-speech trend” in Hong Kong since the implementation of the 2020 national security law. He argued that the verdict effectively criminalizes journalists for carrying out their professional duties.
The trial and its outcome have reignited debates about the state of media freedom in Hong Kong. While the Hong Kong government maintains that press freedom is still guaranteed by the city’s mini-constitution, critics argue that the space for independent journalism has significantly narrowed.
The case against Stand News is seen as part of a broader crackdown on dissent that followed the massive pro-democracy protests in 2019. It has led to increased self-censorship among journalists and the closure of other independent news outlets, such as Citizen News, which shut down citing the deteriorating media environment and potential risks to its staff.
Credit: AP
