Hong Kong police crime unit takes over journalist intimidation cases, press group says
Hong Kong Free Press
A Hong Kong police crime unit has taken over an investigation into reported online and offline harassment and intimidation of journalists from at least 13 media outlets, a press group has said.
In a newsletter to members on Wednesday, Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) Chairperson Selina Cheng said she had made a statement at a police station earlier in October, giving information about incidents targeting her family members and the HKJA executive committee members.
Police urged other affected individuals to come forward and report the incidents, Cheng said.
HKFP has reached out to the police for confirmation and comment.
Last month, the HKJA said 15 journalists were targeted in what it described as a “systematic and organised attack” since June, with emails and letters with defamatory content sent to their home addresses, workplaces and other venues.
The journalists targeted included those from Hong Kong Free Press, InMedia, HK Feature, and those who are members of the HKJA’s executive committee.
Anonymous complaints were sent to family members, landlords, employers and organisations with which the journalists are associated, Cheng said. Some of the complaints threatened recipients that if they continued to associate with the journalists, they could be breaching national security laws.
HKFP’s Director Tom Grundy filed a police report last month after his landlord and local property agencies were sent anonymous letters containing defamatory claims, falsehoods and threats of “unimaginable consequences” and “collateral damage” unless he was evicted from the property and district. So far, he has not been invited to make an official statement and the police have not followed up.
HKJA said earlier there was also “hateful content” targeting media outlets and journalists in private Facebook groups. At least 36 journalists were named and had their photos shared in these posts.
Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu said in mid-September that the force had received two reports of harassment and intimidation involving Hong Kong journalists and their family members. He said Hong Kong was a society with the rule of law, and called on people to come forward and file a police report if they were being intimidated or harassed.
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.
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