This blog post was authored by Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager at Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Asia-Pacific Bureau.
The results of this year’s RSF Press Freedom Index leave no doubt that the situation in Hong Kong has become “very serious” and the territory, for the first time in history, appears red on RSF’s press freedom map.
In five short years since the enactment of the infamous National Security Law (NSL), Hong Kong lost its position as one of Asia-Pacific’s beacons of press freedom. Today, Hong Kong increasingly resembles neighbouring China, the world’s largest prison for journalists.
At RSF, we have never seen such a sharp and rapid deterioration in the press freedom record of any country or territory. Within just two decades, Hong Kong has plummeted in the Index from 18th place to 140th. This year, Hong Kong has seen a sharp drop across all five indicators: political, legal, economic, socio-cultural and legal, which showcases how difficult the situation has become for journalists who decide to keep reporting from the ground.
Imprisonment, harassment, doxxing, administrative pressure, surveillance, and lack of financial sustainability all define a grim daily reality for the valiant few journalists who decided to stay in the territory. This often leads Hong Kongers towards another path: reporting from exile. Since 2020, dozens of newsrooms have shut down in light of administrative pressure and lack of funding. Hundreds of journalists fled, while foreign reporters became unwelcome witnesses who face visa weaponisation — tactics well-known in China under Xi Jinping that point to parallels with the asphyxiating media culture in the Maoist era.
Since its introduction, the NSL has been used as a pretext to dismantle the media scene in the city. Journalists have been pursued, while the public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong, renowned for its insightful investigations and in-depth reporting, has been put in the hands of the puppets that follow the Chinese Communist Party.
The Chinese regime has also used the NSL and other laws as a pretext to prosecute at least 28 journalists and press freedom defenders, 10 of whom remain in detention following the release of former Agence France-Presse reporter and Hong Kong broadcaster Claudia Mo earlier this week. This includes Jimmy Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, as well as six senior staff members of the outlet.
Jimmy Lai, a symbol of struggle for Hong Kong’s freedom and a staunch upholder of media pluralism, has been one of the main targets of the regime, and is languishing in solitary cells of the infamous Stanley Prison. Amid the protracted trial, the court has yet to announce the final verdict.
Last year also witnessed the first instance in the city’s history when a journalist was sentenced for simply doing their job. In the first sedition case involving a media outlet since the UK handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, two editors-in-chief of the now-defunct outlet Stand News were sentenced to prison terms. This decision is arguably a nail in the coffin for press freedom in Hong Kong, and a dangerous precedent that can be used in the future against any journalist who is reporting on the facts which are not in line with the regime’s propaganda machinery.
At the same time, RSF’s statistics show that more than 900 journalists have lost their jobs since 2020. Hundreds of these reporters moved overseas, while this newly emerged overseas community established 10 new outlets in countries including Taiwan and the UK. Yet, exile is hardly a full reprieve, as they continue to face transnational repression as well as financial and social vulnerability.
As the situation keeps deteriorating in Hong Kong, we cannot forget about those who, despite the pressure, continue the almost-impossible work of covering stories from within the city. Not only do these intrepid professionals face government pressure, but they also experience a hard time making ends meet. They are often barred from covering official events and entering press conferences. It is clear that the authorities are trying everything in their power to dissuade all critical voices from reporting on the ground.
According to the information gathered by RSF, accessing sources is also becoming increasingly difficult, as the atmosphere of fear has paralysed the city. To protect its newsrooms and staff, journalists also self-censor, and avoid the topics that could potentially lead to prosecution
On May 3rd, as we celebrate World Press Freedom Day, let us not forget about Hong Kong’s journalists, no matter where they are now. While press freedom is in free fall around the globe, the RSF Press Freedom Index should not be seen as an obituary of independent media in the territory, but rather a grim reminder of sacrifices borne by journalists who courageously persevere in their pursuit of truth. We may never be complicit in efforts to silence them. The most accessible and efficient way of supporting them is to keep reading, watching, and subscribing to their content. At RSF, we will also continue our advocacy and campaigns to ensure that their work is not in vain.
