A Hong Kong court sentenced two journalists for sedition in September, marking the 51st month since the implementation of the national security law. This was the first case against media workers since the territory’s handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997. Patrick Lam, the acting chief editor of Stand News, was initially given a prison sentence for conspiracy to publish seditious materials but was later released on health grounds. Another journalist, Chung Pui-kuen, the former editor-in-chief of Stand News, received a sentence of one year and nine months for publishing seditious content.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed concerns about the decline of press freedom in Hong Kong and the dangers faced by media workers. They criticized the lack of clear boundaries set by prosecutors and judges regarding sedition in the media sector. Additionally, Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders warned that this case had set a dangerous precedent.
In another incident, a man named Chu Kai-pong was sentenced to 14 months in jail for wearing a T-shirt with a protest slogan that was deemed to have secessionist connotations. Another individual, Chung Man-kit, received a 10-month sentence for writing seditious graffiti on bus seats. A third person, Au Kin-wai, was sentenced to one year and two months in prison for making statements on social media platforms calling for political change.
Furthermore, a union of speech therapists in Hong Kong was ordered to forfeit assets amounting to HK$116,000 after the funds were deemed to have been used to endanger national security. The union’s board members had been sentenced to 19 months in prison two years earlier for publishing children’s books considered seditious.
In a separate development, veteran activist Koo Sze-yiu was released from jail after serving a nine-month sentence for participating in a planned protest. The US House of Representatives passed a bill that could lead to the closure of Hong Kong’s trade missions in the US, prompting backlash from Beijing and Hong Kong authorities.
A report released by Human Rights Watch and the Hong Kong Democracy Council highlighted a severe decline in academic freedom and other rights at Hong Kong’s publicly-funded institutions since the national security law was implemented. The report noted actions taken by universities to suppress student unions and political expression on campus.
The UK government’s report on Hong Kong’s political, judicial, and constitutional developments from January to June drew condemnation from Hong Kong authorities for its alleged inaccuracies. As of October 1, 304 people had been arrested for activities endangering national security, with a significant number already charged and convicted under the national security law and Article 23.
The ongoing crackdown on dissent and the erosion of freedom of expression in Hong Kong have raised concerns among international human rights organizations and journalists. The situation in the territory continues to evolve, with implications for press freedom, civil liberties, and the rule of law.
