Hong Kong Jails Two Journalists in Landmark Sedition Case Amid Global Condemnation

In a landmark case that has drawn international criticism, a Hong Kong court has sentenced two journalists, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, to jail for sedition. Chung, who served as an editor at the now-defunct Stand News, received a 21-month prison sentence, while Lam was sentenced to 11 months, but later released on medical grounds. The publisher of Stand News, Best Pencil, was also fined HK$5,000 (US$643; £480) as part of the case. The two journalists were found guilty last month of publishing articles that were critical of the crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong under Chinese rule. The court, in its decision, said that Stand News had become a "danger to national security" due to its editorial stance, which advocated for "Hong Kong local autonomy." District court judge Kwok Wai-kin Kwok added in a written statement that the newspaper had been used as a tool to "smear and vilify" both the Chinese Central Authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government. This sedition case is the first of its kind in Hong Kong since the city was handed over from British to Chinese control in 1997. The trial, which began in October 2022, lasted far longer than initially expected. In total, 11 articles published by Stand News were deemed seditious. Both Chung and Lam were charged under a colonial-era sedition law, which had rarely been used in recent decades, rather than under Hong Kong’s more recent and highly controversial National Security Law (NSL).

The crackdown on Stand News and its journalists comes amid a broader effort by authorities to stifle pro-democracy media in Hong Kong. Stand News, which gained prominence during the 2019 pro-democracy protests, was one of the last openly pro-democracy news outlets in the city. It was forced to shut down in December 2021 following a raid by more than 200 police officers, who arrested seven employees and accused them of conspiracy to publish seditious material. These materials reportedly included interviews with pro-democracy activists. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee, who supported the police raid at the time, called the journalists "evil elements" undermining press freedom. However, rights groups and media watchdogs see it differently. Reporters Without Borders condemned the sentencing of Chung and Lam, calling it "yet another nail in the coffin for press freedom in Hong Kong." The group pointed to a drastic decline in Hong Kong’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index—from 18th place two decades ago to 135th today. The international community has also voiced concern over the situation. The United States has condemned the case, with officials warning that the prosecution of journalists in Hong Kong is creating a "chilling effect" on the local media landscape. The case has amplified fears that Hong Kong’s judicial autonomy—once a cornerstone of its legal system—is being eroded. Critics argue that the introduction of the NSL in 2020 has made it easier for authorities to punish dissent and stifle activism.

In the wake of Stand News' closure, many other independent media outlets have also been forced to shut down, leaving a significant void in Hong Kong’s media landscape. Aleksandra Bielakowska, Asia-based Advocacy Manager for Reporters Without Borders, warned that the Hong Kong judiciary is increasingly being used as a political tool. “Like in China, the regime is trying to create its own narratives, and make sure that all reporters will be only 'telling Hong Kong’s story well,’” Bielakowska said, referencing Chinese authorities’ goal of controlling the narrative around the city’s political and civil liberties. As Hong Kong’s media freedoms continue to decline, this latest sedition case signals an uncertain future for independent journalism in the city. The jailing of Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam has raised alarm bells around the world, but it also underscores a growing global concern about the future of free speech in Hong Kong.