Press freedom in Hong Kong has deteriorated further, according to a survey of media workers in the city, who separately said a recently passed security law had “significantly impacted” the industry.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association's (HKJA) annual press freedom index released on Tuesday showed reporters' scores were just 25 out of 100, the lowest since the survey was first conducted in 2013.
According to the HKJA survey, journalists said they had become less willing to criticise the city government, that it had become more difficult for the media to perform its watchdog role, and that access to information had become more difficult.
The Press Freedom Index assesses press freedom in Hong Kong based on 10 factors, including hesitancy to criticize central and local government, whether owners or managers exert pressure on the press, whether media outlets can perform their watchdog function, and whether there is self-censorship.
When asked what incidents had damaged press freedom in 2023, respondents named the ongoing trial of pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai; foreign reporters covering the 2019 protests and unrest, denied entry to hong kong; disappearance of SCMP reporter Minnie Chanwho went missing after a reporting trip to Beijing; and the suspension Political cartoonist's comic strip “Zunzi” Ming Pao.
The HKJA commissioned the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) to conduct the survey, which interviewed 1,007 members of the public and 251 reporters between March and May.
CEO John Lee said in May that the media could “ask questions” but not provoke conflicts or make defamatory remarks, and that the news industry must maintain professional ethics and provide readers with accurate and comprehensive information.
The HKJA has come under fire from Hong Kong authorities and state-backed media since the city was engulfed in months of protests and unrest in 2019. The press group has been accused of smearing the police, allowing “fake journalists” to join in and protecting protesters.
Last month, HKJA Chairwoman Selina Cheng has been fired by the US newspaper The Wall Street Journalallegedly because of her role in the press union.
Public ratings have increased slightly
Hong Kong residents overall did not show the same concern about press freedom as industry insiders, with the public's press freedom rating rising slightly to 42.2 out of 100, up from 41.4 last year.
Members of the public reported a decline in the diversity of positions expressed in the media, while all nine other factors showed improvement in 2023.
According to the HKJA Press Freedom Index, public perception of press freedom has declined from 49.4 in 2013 to 41.9 in 2019. It has remained at 41 for the past four years.
More reporters found Article 23 harmful
Separately, the survey also assessed perceptions of Article 23, a local national security law passed in March. Ninety-two percent of reporters said the newly passed law would have a significant impact on press freedom.
Among the public, 39 percent said the law would have a “significant impact” on press freedom, 21 percent said “less than half as much” and 36 percent said it would have “little or no impact.”
Separate from those adopted in Beijing in 2020 security lawhome-grown Decree on the protection of national security directed against treason, rebellion, sabotage, external interference, incitement to rebellion, theft of state secrets and espionage. Allows preliminary conclusion up to 16 days, and access of suspects to lawyers may be limited, with penalties associated with up to life imprisonment. Article 23 has been postponed in 2003 amid widespread protests, remaining taboo for years. But on March 23, 2024, it was adopted, being accelerated and was unanimously approved in the city legislative assembly, free from opposition.
The law has has been criticized by human rights NGOs, Western States And UN as vague, broad and “regressive.” However, authorities cited alleged foreign interference and a constitutional duty to “close loopholes” after Protests and riots of 2019.
All HKFP staff are members of the HKJA and Hans Tse is a member of the 2024-25 Executive Committee..
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