The recent crackdown on independent media in Hong Kong has prompted a number of changes in the city’s political landscape. The riots began with protests against a government extradition agreement. The unrest quickly turned into demands for democracy and independence. The hashtag #FreeHongKong is an example of this, while other popular social media platforms have banned the use of Hongkong-based political news outlets. In the past few years, there have been more cases of dissidents and journalists.
In April, the Free Press reported on the One-Way Permit issue. The Home Affairs Department and Immigration Department released statistics on the number of people coming to Hong Kong from the Mainland. The Wall Street Journal and Hong Kong Free Press reported on the purge of journalists from the University of Hongkong. Despite the purge, many media outlets have ceased publication, despite the new law. However, the Chinese government and the HKFP’s media regulators have promised to protect the public’s civil liberties.
Hong Kong’s government imposed stricter rules to quell dissent, and many journalists and bloggers have expressed concern about the repercussions. A few days ago, the central government imposed a strict censorship regime on Internet sites, and more than 160 people have been arrested under the National Security Law. Pro-democracy activists Koo Sze-yiu was arrested for inciting subversion of state power. The political climate in Hong Kong has led to dozens of dissenting activists fleeing to other cities.
Critics say that Hong Kong’s mainstream news media has been under attack by the local government. While pro-government papers like the Apple Daily and the South China Morning Post have been shut down, the most widely read English newspaper in the city, South China Morning Post, has become increasingly polarized. Meanwhile, the Times of Hongk, the most popular English newspaper, The Standard, has been forced to restructure its editorial policies after being purchased by Malaysian tycoon Robert Kuok’s Kerry Media.
The Hong Kong Free Press is an English-language news outlet. ThoughtCo is the Chinese-language news outlet. Initium has offices in Hongkong and Singapore, but maintains staff in Hongkong. Initium also published a Chinese-language news publication, Citizen News. While both are relatively small, they are widely circulated. During the protests, David has become well-known for his participation in anti-government activities.
The Basic Law has long protected freedom of expression. The rights of press and freedom of speech are protected under Articles 27 and 39 of the Basic Law. The government does not censor the media in Hong Kong, but it does restrict their activity. The press in HongKong is protected by laws and regulations. Moreover, in the territory, a free press is considered “independent”. This is an important issue in the context of free press in Hongkong.