The Hong Kong Journalists Association
Prominent media outlets, like Apple Daily and Stand News, have been closed, and countless journalists and editors have faced legal action.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) decried a recent spate of harassment against journalists in the city on Friday, describing it as a “systematic and organised attack”. Over the last few months, journalists from more than 15 media sites have been targeted with death threats, defamation complaints, and threats to their personal safety.
According to Selina Cheng, chair of the HKJA, harassment has taken several forms, including emails, letters to companies, social media attacks, and threats against family members. Some journalists have faced pressure to abandon their professions or union posts. The HKJA has called the current wave of intimidation as harsh and alarming.
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Cheng emphasized, “This form of intimidation and harassment, which includes disseminating false and defamatory content and death threats, undermines Hong Kong’s press freedom, and we must not tolerate it. The HKJA, as I believe all Hong Kong journalists do, welcomes criticism and debate. “This is not it.”
The targets included international and local outlets such as Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP), In Media, and HK Feature, as well as members of the HKJA executive committee and journalistic education institutions. Cheng stated that the abuse looked to be directed at the journalistic community as a whole, rather than specific individuals.
The abuse was mostly in the form of similarly phrased anonymous accusations from people identifying as “patriots.” Some receivers were told that engaging with specific journalists may violate national security regulations.
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HKJA has expressed concern about the increasing harassment of journalists, including the internet leaking of personal information such as home addresses. However, the source of the stolen material is unknown, raising significant concerns.
This pattern is part of a larger attack on journalistic freedom in Hong Kong, which has worsened since the passage of the national security law and the defeat of the pro-democracy movement. Several notable media sources, including Apple Daily and Stand News, have been forced to close, and many journalists and editors risk legal action.
The Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) has also been targeted by this harassment, with director and editor-in-chief Tom Grundy receiving threatening letters demanding his removal. Grundy reported these occurrences to the police, making it the third time in recent years that the HKFP has done so.
Cheng also stated that HKJA had contacted Meta and the Wikimedia Foundation, both of which launched investigations into the occurrences. Wikimedia prohibited one user for posting personal information across numerous accounts. Legal action is still a possibility, and the association has reported the occurrences to the police.
