Amnesty condemns sedition verdict as blow to free speech in Hong Kong

Hong Kong: In a ruling, two former editors of the now-defunct Stand News, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, along with the media outlet's parent company, were convicted of conspiring to publish "seditious" content, marking a chilling blow to press freedom in Hong Kong after China implemented National Security Law. The verdict has sparked international condemnation, with human rights groups accusing the Chinese government of using Hong Kong's repressive sedition laws to suppress dissent and muzzle free speech.

Amnesty International was quick to denounce the conviction, calling it a dangerous precedent for future crackdowns on the media. Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International's China Director, stated: "This dismaying verdict is one more nail in the coffin for press freedom in Hong Kong. Stand News and its editors have been targeted simply for doing their legitimate journalistic work."

This case, which involved the prosecution of 17 articles published by Stand News, is the first trial for sedition related to a media company since Hong Kong's handover from Britain to China in 1997. The court ruled that 11 of the articles--ranging from news reports to opinion pieces--were seditious, effectively criminalizing journalism in the city. The editors now face up to two years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September 26, 2024. Under Hong Kong's new national security law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), such offences could carry up to 10 years in prison in the future.

Critics argue that this verdict sends a clear message to journalists in Hong Kong: self-censor or face dire consequences. "This ruling will force journalists to think twice about what they write, deepening the climate of fear and repression in the city," Brooks added. Amnesty International has called for an immediate repeal of Hong Kong's sedition laws and demanded that the convictions of Stand News' editors be overturned.

Since the Chinese government imposed sweeping national security laws in 2020, Hong Kong's press landscape has been systematically dismantled. Stand News, once a respected non-profit digital news outlet, was forced to cease operations in December 2021 after a raid by over 200 national security police officers.

The outlet's website was deleted, and its journalists were arrested, marking the start of an era where journalism is increasingly treated as a criminal act.

This conviction is another troubling indicator of China's tightening grip on Hong Kong, where freedom of expression is being steadily eroded under the guise of national security. As the global community watches in alarm, there is growing concern that the space for independent journalism in Hong Kong is disappearing--quickly and irrevocably.