'We cannot give up': Hong Kong journalists navigate fear, surveillance, and shrinking space
Summary
Hong Kong’s government rejected accusations of cracking down on press freedom after media tycoon Jimmy Lai received a free speech award in Germany. Since a 2020 security law, journalists in Hong Kong face surveillance, visa refusals, legal threats, and self-censorship, making independent reporting difficult.Key Facts
- Hong Kong’s press freedom ranking dropped from 18th in 2002 to 140th recently.
- The government called claims of press freedom violations “slander” and blamed an “anti-China organisation.”
- Jimmy Lai, a jailed media tycoon, was awarded a Freedom of Speech Prize in Germany.
- A French journalist, Antoine Védeilhé, was stopped at Hong Kong airport, searched, interrogated, and deported without explanation.
- Védeilhé was labeled a “foreign agent,” a term linked to national security concerns.
- Védeilhé’s employer received a threatening anonymous email warning against airing his documentary about Hong Kong’s political changes.
- His cameraman was followed by plainclothes officers, and planned interviews were canceled for safety reasons.
- At least 13 journalists have faced visa denials or barred entry to Hong Kong in recent years.
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