Washington-funded news station Radio Free Asia quits Hong Kong, citing concerns for staff safety after Article 23 passed
- Station president says actions by authorities, including referring to RFA as foreign force, raise ‘serious questions about our ability to operate in safety’ with enactment of Article 23
- Government condemns what it calls scaremongering remarks and offers reassurances that ‘normal journalists’ will not unwittingly violate new security law
“Actions by Hong Kong authorities, including referring to RFA as a ‘foreign force’, raise serious questions about our ability to operate in safety with the enactment of Article 23,” its president and CEO Bay Fang said on the radio station’s website.
“Concerns about the safety of RFA staff and reporters in Hong Kong have led us to restructure our on-the-ground operations there.”
The government was quick to condemn what it called scaremongering remarks and sought to offer reassurances that “normal journalists” would not unwittingly violate the security law known as Article 23 after the article in the city’s mini-constitution mandating the passing of the legislation.
Fang said they had no full-time employees in Hong Kong as its physical bureau was closed, while its official media registration would be retained.
