HK Media Facing Harassment, Threats

Dozens of journalists have been intimidated and harassed

In what the Hong Kong Journalists Association describes as a 'systematic attack against media workers", the group says dozens of journalists in the city are being harassed, as well as their family members, employers, neighbours and landlords.

Reporters from at least 13 outlets, such as Hong Kong Free Press, InMedia, and HK Feature have been targeted through emails and letters containing defamatory content sent to their home addresses, workplaces and other venues.

Cheng said threats interfered with press freedom

HKJA's chair Selina Cheng condemned the harassment as "a serious interference with press freedom", and said the matter had been reported to the police.

"Since June, self-proclaimed 'patriots' have sent anonymous complaints by email or letter to at least 15 journalists' family members and their family members' employers, landlords and related organisations, including charities, schools and private businesses," she said.

"The format of each email or letter is similar but tailored to the different identities and characteristics of a given organisation or individual."

Cheng said many of the letters and emails warned recipients that if they continued to associate with the journalists in question or their family members, they could be violating the domestic national security law.

"Since at least August, users of several private Facebook groups have also posted hateful content against certain media outlets and journalists, portraying legitimate reporting as problematic or illegal, and baselessly accusing articles of being inflammatory," Cheng said.

"According to HKJA's investigation, at least 36 journalists were identified in these Facebook posts, from multiple different outlets, education institutions and the HKJA itself."

Cheuk was unaware of harassment

Some of the messages included threats of violence and death threats.

It is unclear how the journalists' private contact information was found, though the HKJA suspects personal data had been leaked from "government or other private databases" and urged law enforcement agencies to launch and investigation.

Cheng said she too was a victim, with employers of her family members receiving letters containing accusations and false claims about her in late July.

Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip said he had not heard about the harassment and doxxing raised by the HKJA, but stated Hong Kong was a city that followed the rule of law.

"Any individual should be free from threats, free from fear and free from harassment," he said. "So if any individual, irrespective of who you are, if you are receiving such threats and harassment, please come out and report [it]."

He did not believe the association's claim that personal data had been leaked, or that the city's press freedom had further eroded.

Meanwhile the police force spokesman said: "Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law. If members of the public suspect that they are being intimidated or harassed, they should report the case to the Police. Police will handle each case in accordance with the law and actual circumstances."

Where's the Freedom to Report on July 1?

Who will report on the July 1 events after 10 media rejected?

Now that we've established that Chinese President Xi Jinping will come to Hong Kong for two days, but not staying overnight and in nearby Shenzhen instead, who will be covering the grand milestone of 25 years since the handover?

Hardly any media for hardly any good reason.

Media organisations had to be invited to attend the July 1 flag-raising ceremony and swearing-in ceremony for the next Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

Lee claimed press freedom is in back pocket

But then suddenly today at least 10 outlets that had been invited were now rejected because of "security reasons". They include Ming Pao, HK01, South China Morning Post, Now News, Reuters, Bloomberg and Agence France-Presse.

While these media organisations have the option of sending alternate reporters, they must fulfil requirements of testing negative for Covid-19 from a PCR test everyday between last Sunday and July 1 which is impossible now.

It is strange that Ta Kung Pao was also rejected, a very pro-Beijing paper, which is why the Hong Kong Journalists' Association chairman Ronson Chan finds it "perplexing" that all these outlets were rejected regardless of their editorial policy.

"The HKJA expresses utmost regret over rigid reporting arrangements made by the authorities for such a major event," the press group said.

"[C]iting a vague reason for rejection seriously undermines press freedom in Hong Kong. The HKJA urges the authorities to make remedial arrangements and protect the right to report," it added.

Chan finds reporter rejections as "perplexing"

The group is referring to incoming leader Lee's claim that press freedom was a given.'

In April he said that press freedom was already in the "pocket" of all Hongkongers so it did not need defending. That said he promised to pass a "fake news" law and a local version of the security law.

How can he say this when Reporters Without Borders has ranked Hong Kong 148 out of 180 places, when it was 80 last year, and in 2002 it was listed at no. 18?

Initially up to 20 journalists were invited to attend, averaging two per outlet. But then this was cut to one per organisation, and now none.

So it looks like only Chinese domestic media will be allowed to attend, to cover the event for Chinese audiences, not even for Hongkongers.

"China wants the world to see Hong Kong's 25th handover anniversary ceremony and project the narrative that stability has been returned to the city, meanwhile it has effectively banned most international media from covering this important event," said an international journalist who did not want to be named.

Hong Kong is pulling out the stops for its leader and yet its own people can't even report on the event... in other words, no negative reporting at all! An alternate reality will be promoted over and over forever and perhaps this is a signal of how things will be done from now on?!