Latest Media Freedom Test: Hong Kong Gears up for Stand News Verdict | Court News

Two Hong Kong journalists, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, are awaiting the outcome of their sedition trial this week, which could have significant implications for journalism in the Chinese city. The pair face up to two years in prison under colonial-era sedition laws, after being arrested in December 2021 along with five other Stand News staff and board members. This trial marks a significant shift in the legal landscape for journalists in Hong Kong, as sedition charges had not been brought for over 50 years until the new national security laws were imposed by Beijing in response to antigovernment protests in 2019. The charges against Chung and Lam revolve around their alleged role in publishing articles critical of the government, with prosecutors accusing them of turning Stand News into a political platform. Despite the defence arguing that the articles were in the public interest and that the prosecution failed to prove any real risk to national security, observers expect the journalists to be found guilty given the 100 percent conviction rate for sedition charges since they were revived. Following the closure of Stand News and several other independent outlets, Hong Kong’s press freedom ranking has plummeted, with concerns mounting over the shrinking space for free expression. The government’s recent passage of a local version of the national security law, known as Article 23, has further tightened restrictions on speech and expanded the scope of sedition laws to include “inciting hatred” against the Chinese Communist Party. While officials argue that such measures are necessary to safeguard national security, critics fear that they will further suppress independent voices in the city.

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