National security law: self-censorship concerns mount after Hong Kong’s Stand News purges comment pieces, some touching on sanctions
- At least 65 commentaries dealing with sanctions – subject at the centre of police action against now-defunct Apple Daily – were among the articles taken down
- Move prompts academics to warn of ‘unpredictable’ effect of security law on media, and one pro-Beijing figure to urge writers to tread lightly
Scores of the articles touched upon the subject of calling for international sanctions against the city and mainland China, which is now an offence under the Beijing-imposed legislation.
On Sunday, Stand News became the first Hong Kong media outlet popular among opposition activists to roll out protective measures following a national security police crackdown on the now defunct, tabloid-style Apple Daily, announcing it would temporarily remove most of the commentary hosted on its site and suspend its subscription plan.
The Post has found that at least 65 comment pieces tagged with “sanctions” and “US sanctions” – the subject at the centre of the police action against Apple Daily – were among the articles taken down by the online news portal. About half of the Stand News pieces were published before the national security law came into effect last June, with some penned by pundits and activists based overseas.
The move has prompted dire warnings from journalism scholars over the “very worrying and unpredictable” impact of the security law on the news media, while a pro-Beijing academic has warned commentators to stop writing pieces that might cross the line, noting that the removal of content alone might not be enough to protect them.
Authorities have repeatedly pledged the law would not be retroactive.