HK Near Bottom of Press Freedom Index

This year's press freedom map, with HK as "difficult situation"

Today is World Press Freedom Day.

The World Press Freedom Index was released and Hong Kong has risen slightly to 140 from 148 this year, while China is at 179, just above North Korea at the very bottom of the list.

Put into perspective, Hong Kong is behind Colombia and Cameroon, but above Somalia and Brunei. 

The city's ranking plunged last year after the national security law was implemented in 2020 -- that is in stark contrast to when Hong Kong was ranked as high as 18 in 2002 when the World Press Freedom Index was first released. 

Ranking of all the countries from Norway as No. 1 to North Korea at 180

"The slight rise in the index this year is mostly due to the fact of adjustment in the index after [a] sharp drop of 68 places last year -- at the same time, Hong Kong has scored lower or the same as last year in three of five indicators... and the most notably the lowest in the legal factor," Cedric Alviani, East Asia bureau director of Reporters Without Borders [RSF] said.

The "legal factor" Alviani is referring to is the trials of editors and reporters at the defunct Apple Daily and Stand News. 

He said the watchdog recorded 13 "press freedom defenders" detained under "trumped up charges".

Most notably in the last few weeks there has been a concerted campaign by Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying's lawyers and his son Sebastien to raise awareness of the tycoon and how Lai has already served one of his sentences for illegal assembly and is serving another sentence of five years and nine months for a fraud case. His trial for allegedly violating the national security law will start in September.

Alviani notes the deteriorating situation in HK

"In the past month -- and week -- we have also observed cases of media outlets being barred from reporting on official events, while a few journalists including from independent online media outlets have been followed," Alviani said.

He also noted the increasing number of journalists in exile, including those who made "a very difficult decision to leave their home due to increasing pressure from the government" for places including the UK and Taiwan.

Alviani said the slight change in Hong Kong's ranking in the index should not be seen as an improvement, but rather the ranking movement of other countries and the index adjustment.

Journalism is not a crime.

Journalism is not a crime.

Journalism is not a crime.