Hong Kong denies journalist Haze Fan a visa following detention in China, Bloomberg tells staff
Hong Kong Free Press
Bloomberg has told its staff that Chinese journalist Haze Fan has been refused a visa to work at their Hong Kong bureau, HKFP has learned. Fan, who was previously detained in China, has instead resumed duties at the London newsroom.
According to a Monday Bloomberg terminal notice to staff obtained by HKFP, the outlet had hoped to relocate Fan to its Hong Kong bureau. “But the immigration authorities declined to issue her a visa, without explanation,” the notice from Bloomberg’s Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait read.
HKFP has reached out to Hong Kong’s Immigration Department and Fan for comment after verifying the news with two people with knowledge of the matter. Bloomberg declined to comment.
“I am delighted to announce that more than three years after she was detained by Chinese authorities (and eventually released without charge), Haze Fan has now started to work for us again – in the London newsroom,” Micklethwait said.
Fan, then a staffer at the US news outlet’s bureau in Beijing, was seen being escorted from her apartment building by plainclothes security officials in December 2020, and formally arrested in July 2021 on suspicion of committing crimes endangering national security.
See also: Bloomberg News says ‘encouraged’ by reported bail for detained China staffer
China is one of the world’s most hostile places for journalists, ranked 172th out of 180 countries in a list published this May by Reporters Without Borders.
Released in 2022
Fan was released on bail in January 2022. Bloomberg said in a news report that it was only made aware of her release months later. “We are encouraged that Haze is out on bail,” Micklethwait said in the report.
In the notice dated Monday, around 9 am, Micklethwait said: “I would like to thank all the people in Bloomberg who have supported Haze as well as the various outside organisations that spoke out for her, including the Committee to Protect Journalists an the National Press Club.”
“And of course I would like to pay tribute to our newsroom in China – not just for their support for Haze but for the brilliant work they do every day in trying circumstances.”
Before Fan joined Bloomberg’s Beijing bureau in January 2017, she took on producer roles at CNBC, Al Jazeera, CBS, and Reuters.
In 2020, Hong Kong Free Press was denied a work visa, without reason, for an Irish journalist who had been working for Bloomberg. The New York Times’s Chris Buckley was also denied a visa in 2020, after Victor Mallet of the Financial Times had an application rejected in 2018.
In 2021, a visa application for a reporter from The Economist was denied without reason.
Press freedom
Hong Kong has plummeted in international press freedom indices since the onset of the security law. Watchdogs cite the arrest of journalists, raids on newsrooms and the closure of around 10 media outlets including Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News. Over 1,000 journalists have lost their jobs, whilst many have emigrated. Meanwhile, the city’s government-funded broadcaster RTHK has adopted new editorial guidelines, purged its archives and axed news and satirical shows.
See also: Explainer: Hong Kong’s press freedom under the national security law
In 2022, Chief Executive John Lee said press freedom was “in the pocket” of Hongkongers but “nobody is above the law.” Although he has told the press to “tell a good Hong Kong story,” government departments have been reluctant to respond to story pitches.
Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
HKFP has an impartial stance, transparent funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy.
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.