Journalists from at least 13 media outlets in Hong Kong have been harassed online and offline in what appears to be a “systematic and organised attack”, the city's largest journalism group said.
Selina Cheng, chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), said at a press conference on Friday that dozens of journalists had received defamatory emails and letters at their homes, workplaces and other places since June. The journalists targeted included those from Hong Kong Free Press, InMedia, HK Feature and members of the HKJA executive committee.
See also: Statement: HKFP condemns crackdown on Hong Kong independent press
Fifteen journalists saw complaints sent to family members, landlords, employers and organizations they are associated with, Cheng said. Some of the complaints threatened recipients that if they continued to communicate with the journalists, they could violate national security laws.
Cheng said the HKJA did not know how the campaign's organizers obtained the journalists' personal information, adding that the agency was concerned about obvious and potentially illegal leaks from government or private databases.
Facebook users also posted “hateful content” targeting media outlets and journalists in closed Facebook groups. At least 36 journalists were named and their photos were posted in these posts.
The harassment also included death threats, Cheng said. Photos of journalists and HKJA members were posted online, pictured next to knives and shooting targets. Screenshots of these photos were then sent to journalists and their parents in a “clear attempt to scare and intimidate them,” Cheng said.
“The HKJA, along with several affected individuals, reported the harassment and unpleasant behavior to the police, and two journalists also filed criminal doxxing complaints with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner,” Cheng continued, referring to the city's privacy watchdog.
In response to questions from reporters, Cheng said “most” of the HKJA executive committee members had been subjected to such harassment, including herself. She said two of her family members had also received threatening messages at their workplaces.
Asked whether the harassment was targeting specific topics or channels, Cheng said it did not appear to be. Some of the posts covered topics such as Taiwan’s presidential election or the Fukushima sewage dump, but all of them were “proper,” she said in Cantonese.
“This is not directed at specific reports or specific news outlets… but the prosecution is directed at the journalism industry as a whole.”
Cheng also said this was the most widespread example of alleged harassment of journalists in Hong Kong that the HKJA had heard of. In previous years, attacks had been “quite sporadic,” she said.
“It’s clear that some of these parties and criminals believe that sometimes it could work if they kept expanding their attack area, although most of the time it’s hit or miss,” Cheng said. “As long as they target enough people… [there will be] cases where they are able to bend people to their will. I do not believe that this is right. That is why we are making a loud call today, saying that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior.”
The HKJA chairman also called on news organisations to publicly condemn the harassment and for law enforcement and privacy watchdogs to investigate.
Last week, the HKFP director's landlord and local real estate agencies received anonymous letters containing defamatory statements, lies and threats of “unimaginable consequences” and “collateral damage” if he was not evicted from the property and area. While the agencies and landlord ignored the threats, HKFP director Tom Grundy reported the incident to police on Saturday.
HKFP has contacted police for comment.
“Serious interference with freedom of the press”
Intimidation campaign begins in Hong Kong continues to work poorly in global press freedom rankings as a result of the national security law.
After Beijing imposed national security legislation in 2020, a number of news outlets in the city were closed, including Apple Daily and Stand News, which ceased operations after police raids and the arrest of leading editors.
However, the authorities have supported that press freedom is “respected and protected” in Hong Kong.
HKJA's advice to journalists facing threats – click to view.
Any journalist who experiences such harassment – whether individually or directed at their organization – should notify their employers, colleagues, and family members as soon as possible to prepare themselves psychologically. They should also take screenshots and save threatening messages for possible future harassment.
In similar campaigns around the world, such trolling has often been accompanied by cyberattacks to steal personal photos and information for use in subsequent campaigns. Journalists should avoid publicly sharing photos of family or friends on social media and protect their information security, including enabling two-factor authentication, using strong passwords, and not reusing passwords.
The HKJA has organised counselling services for those emotionally affected by this campaign and any affected journalist or family member who is experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, etc. should contact the HKJA or other relevant professionals immediately.
On Friday, Cheng called the attacks “a serious interference with press freedom,” adding that he condemned the attempts to use “illegal means such as threats and harassment to prevent and intimidate journalists from doing their constitutionally protected work.”
The group called on journalists who are being harassed to notify their employers and also file complaints with the police and the city's privacy watchdog.
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