HK faces fresh scrutiny over media freedoms under new security law

Risk in reporting the news objectively and critically, says head of local press group

- Magdalene Fung

HONG KONG - As Hong Kong faces fresh scrutiny of its media freedoms with a second security law in force, the head of a leading local press group says the city's environment has been changing that could make it difficult to report the news objectively and critically.

"After Article 23, the change to the state of press freedom in Hong Kong is big, even if not immediately obvious. The atmosphere for news reporting is changing," Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) chairman Ronson Chan told The Straits Times, referring to the city's domestic security law that took effect on March 23.

"We want to continue our duties in reporting the news objectively and critically for the Hong Kong community. We want to be brave.

But courage comes with a price, and the question is whether we can afford to pay this price," said Mr Chan.

Trying to report some sensitive aspects of news events, for example, concerning the government's security-related actions "could now entail a bigger risk of crossing the authorities' red lines into a national security offence", he added.

Mr Chan's comments come a week after a representative of an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) advocating for press freedom was deported upon arrival in Hong Kong.

Reporters Without Borders advocacy officer Aleksandra Bielakowska was on April 10 detained, searched and questioned for six hours at the Hong Kong airport and subsequently deported.

The authorities did not make clear the reasons for her deportation.

She had been slated to meet journalists in the city and attend hearings of the high-profile national security trial of long-time opposition supporter and media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

Foreign governments and monitoring groups both local and abroad have warned that the Article 23 national security law that was passed by the city's legislature on March 19 would further curtail media freedoms in the city.