Hong Kong press group wants Beijing to rethink national security law after year of ‘unprecedented threats’

Hong Kong Journalists Association says media has faced year of ‘suppression’ and calls on officials to loosen grip on industry

In annual report, group cites Apple Daily crackdown and calls on government to reconsider fake news law

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Police set up a cordon outside the offices of the Apple Daily newspaper in June. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 5:43pm, 15 Jul 2021Updated: 11:11pm, 15 Jul 2021

Hong Kong’s biggest journalism body has asked Beijing to amend the national security law and loosen its grip over the media, saying press freedom in the city was at its worst in the past year.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association released its 2021 annual report on Thursday and said local media had faced “unprecedented threats” in the past 12 months amid what it called increasing “suppression” from the authorities.

In its annual report, “Freedom in Tatters”, the association cited police’s crackdown on Apple Daily newspaper, the national security law prosecution of its founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, and the publication’s eventual demise.

Coupled with the planned fake news law, which could put journalists at greater risk and lead to “self-censorship”, it feared this was the start of a comprehensive clampdown on local media in the name of national security.

“After the closure of Apple Daily, there have been cases where some online outlets ceased operation while others sought to remove some previous reports or commentaries. This clearly shows that press freedom has been shrinking,” said Chris Yeung Kin-hing, the association’s immediate past chairman and chief editor of the annual report.

Chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association Ronson Chan (left), and Chris Yeung, chief editor of the annual report. Photo: AFP