Hong Kong police under fire for detaining two reporters ‘following’ education minister Eddie Ng Hak-kim
Police deny suppressing media freedom after questioning reporters on loitering suspicions
Hong Kong police have been accused of suppressing press freedom after two Apple Daily reporters were detained for more than an hour while allegedly stalking education minister Eddie Ng Hak-kim yesterday.
According to the Chinese-language newspaper’s version of events, the two reporters had been waiting to interview the Secretary for Education at the government’s headquarters in Admiralty at 5.30pm on Christmas Eve.
After Ng left his office in his car, the reporters followed him in their own vehicle. When their car stopped near an MTR station entrance in Central, six police officers in plain clothes appeared and asked them to show their identification documents, the paper said.
The reporters produced their press cards, but were still taken away for further questioning on suspicion of loitering.
The two were released from Central Police Station without charges at 7.45pm.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association today condemned the police action.