Concern in the world following press raids
According to International Federation of Journalists raids whittle away press freedom.
Hong Kong (AsiaNews - SCMP) Following raids last Saturday against seven Hong Kong daily newspapers different international organisations of journalists, even the US State Department, have expressed their concern about the possible weakening of press freedom in the former British colony.
The Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) searched the offices of Sing Tao, Oriental Daily News, The Sun, Hong Kong Economic Journal, Apple Daily, South China Morning Post and Ta Kung Pao and its officers seized documents, arrested a solicitor and a barrister and detained them for 41 hours. One reporter had his home searched.
The action was motivated by the fact that the papers had published the name of a witness involved in an ongoing trial. Under Hong Kong law a witness's identity is protected and the ICAC wanted to find out how the name was leaked to the press.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, to whom the ICAC is directly responsible, defended the actions taken by the Commission, an institution known for its corruption-fighting zeal. Others see in the ICAC's actions the first signs that freedom of the press is under threat.
US State Department deputy spokesperson Adam Ereli stated: "Our position would be to urge that Hong Kong civil liberties, including its press freedoms, be protected as guaranteed by the Basic Law."
Christopher Warren, president of the Belgium-based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), wrote to Hong Kong' Chief Executive questioning the need for "such an extreme response." In his letter, he goes further: "The raids appear to be an attempt by the ICAC to intimidate and harass journalists. [Instead,] journalists must be allowed to protect their sources without being subject to official harassment and intrusion. [. . .] These incidents are a gross overreaction and are an unquestionable attack on the fundamental rights of journalists, constituting a major threat to freedom of the press in Hong Kong."
The IFJ represents about 500,000 journalists throughout the world. The Hong Kong Journalists Association is one of its affiliates. The IFJ condemns the raids, calls for an official apology, reasserts the principle that sources must be protected, and demands that all seized materials be returned.
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11/08/2020 09:29
16/12/2019
