Wall Street Journal publisher convicted in Hong Kong of deterring reporter from union role
Summary
A Hong Kong court found the publisher of the Wall Street Journal guilty of trying to stop a reporter from taking a leadership role in a journalist trade union. The reporter, Selina Cheng, was fired weeks after becoming chair of the Hong Kong Journalist Association, leading to concerns about press freedom in the city.Key Facts
- Selina Cheng was dismissed by the Wall Street Journal shortly after she became chair of the Hong Kong Journalist Association in 2024.
- The court ruled Dow Jones Publishing guilty of deterring Cheng from exercising trade union rights but not guilty of dismissing her because of those rights.
- Cheng said her employer tried to prevent her from holding the union position and required prior approval for outside activities.
- Cheng started a private legal case against Dow Jones Publishing after losing her job in July 2024.
- The publisher argued Cheng’s firing was due to restructuring and denied a link to her union activities.
- The magistrate described Cheng as honest and said her dismissal was unjustified based on company conduct rules.
- Hong Kong’s press freedom has declined sharply since a Beijing-imposed national security law began in 2020.
- The Hong Kong Journalist Association is the city’s oldest journalist union and has faced increased pressure since 2020.
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