Leaks ‘in the public domain’: Hong Kong court extends HKU gag order but it no longer covers future meetings
Court ban on publishing university council deliberations will go on, but cover shorter time frame
The High Court extended a gag order sought by the University of Hong Kong yesterday to continue banning publication of information about its governing council's discussion - though the time frame it covered was curtailed.
Some supporters of media freedom deemed the revised interim injunction "acceptable", but the Journalists Association, which joined the hearing as an interested party, urged HKU to drop its legal action altogether.
The order, in effect until the next hearing on November 24, now applies to "persons unknown" who possess information about the five HKU council meetings held since June. It does not protect future council business as the original order would.
READ MORE: Judge 'concerned' over Hong Kong University's gag order as city's media prepare to fight for press freedom
Ip Kin-yuen, the education-sector lawmaker who also joined the hearing as an interested party, voiced relief outside court.
"The scope of the ban is now much narrower," Ip said.
"It is good for press freedom and freedom of speech, and the development of HKU."
The current order was revised from one issued last Friday that had banned Commercial Broadcasting and "persons unknown" from publishing details about the council's business.
Council chairman Dr Leong Che-hung obtained that order in HKU's name after the station aired two recordings of a September closed-door discussion about democracy supporter Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun's candidacy for a key managerial post that ended with him being voted down. Critics said the council's move was politically motivated.