The special administrative region has lost 68 places in one year in the ranking of the NGO, which points to the national security law imposed by China. The text was used to threaten journalists and media critics of power.
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“It’s the biggest fall of the year, but it’s fully deserved”, said an official from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to AFP. Hong Kong has lost 68 places in one year in the international ranking of press freedom published by the NGO on Tuesday, May 3, because of the draconian measures imposed by China to silence media critical of the authorities.
The Special Administrative Region (SAR) now ranks 148th, between Turkey and the Philippines. At the time of the first ranking published by RSF in 2002, the former British colony, returned to China in 1997, was nevertheless considered an oasis of freedom of expression, in 18th place. But the situation has gradually deteriorated, especially from 2020 and the implementation of the “national security law” imposed by Beijing, ranked 175th out of 180 for freedom of the press.
The law, which sparked major pro-democracy protests, was used by Hong Kong authorities to silence local media and jail journalists, according to Cédric Alviani, head of RSF’s East Asia desk. Apple Daily and Stand News, two opposition outlets, had to shut down last year after editorial chiefs were arrested and the company’s assets were frozen, and a third news site went bankrupt. the door in January. RSF currently lists 13 imprisoned Hong Kong media professionals.
The international press is also worried: Hong Kong’s Foreign Press Club canceled its April 26 human rights awards. But many international media still have their Asian headquarters in the city. “No media can do without correspondents in Hong Kong. But do media need to have their regional headquarters in Hong Kong?”asked Cédric Alviani. “Is it safe to leave his computer archives, to leave his server, to leave his management team in Hong Kong? In the current situation, maybe not.”