• Monday, 01 July 2024

Two journalists charged in Hong Kong amid crackdown on media

Two journalists charged in Hong Kong amid crackdown on media
Hong Kong authorities on Thursday charged two news editors with conspiracy to publish seditious material, as pressure grows on the media in the semi-autonomous city. According to reports, the two accused are Lam Shui, current editor-in-chief of the online publication Stand News, and his predecessor Chung Pui. The announcement comes a day after around 200 police officers raided the editorial office of Stand News, which supports Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. The publication's assets were also frozen and the outlet announced its closure that same day. In June, the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily was forced to shut after the tabloid was targeted by the authorities for alleged violations of the so-called security law. Its founder Jimmy Lai is in prison. The communist leadership in Beijing enacted the controversial security law one and a half years ago, following repeated demonstrations and calls for more democracy in Hong Kong. The vaguely worded law allows for a crackdown on activities considered by China to be subversive, separatist, terrorist or conspiratorial. More than 100 activists have been arrested or are awaiting trial. Many have already been convicted. Fearing prosecution, many opposition members have fled abroad.