Press Freedom

The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation supports press freedom in Hong Kong.

Once a beacon of the free press in Asia, press freedom in Hong Kong has deteriorated significantly since the implementation of the National Security Law in 2020. Formerly home to a vibrant and independent media landscape, the city has seen the forced closure of major pro-democracy outlets like Apple Daily and Stand News, increasing self-censorship, and the prosecution of journalists. Several prominent independent media outlets have shut down due to government pressure, arrests of executives, and asset freezes. Remaining media organisations face heavy censorship and self-censorship, limiting the public’s access to independent and investigative reporting.

Is there evidence that Hong Kong’s press freedom has declined?

Yes, according to a report issued annually by Reporters Without Borders, as of June 28, 2024, “Hong Kong is ranked 135th in RSF’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index, having plummeted down the rankings from 18th place in just two decades. China ranks 172nd of the 180 countries and territories surveyed.” According to the report, “Since Hong Kong’s National Security Law (NSL) was enacted on 30 June 2020, at least 900 journalists lost their jobs according to RSF’s statistics. Hundreds of these reporters moved overseas, and 10 media outlets were established by this diaspora in countries such as Taiwan and the United Kingdom. “Only 5 percent of my former Apple Daily colleagues continue to work as journalists, while the majority changed their career paths,” explains editor-in-chief of Photon Media, Shirley Leung Ka Lai. “Leaving Hong Kong made me feel helpless, but establishing a diaspora media empowered me, made me feel resistant and less guilty for leaving my homeland behind,” she adds.

Why are journalists being arrested in Hong Kong?

Journalists in Hong Kong have been arrested under vague charges such as “collusion with foreign forces” and “sedition” under the National Security Law and colonial-era laws. These charges are used to silence critical reporting and intimidate the press. Many arrested journalists were covering protests, exposing government misconduct, or working for now-shuttered independent media outlets.

What risks do foreign journalists face in Hong Kong?

Foreign journalists in Hong Kong face visa denials, intimidation, and restrictions on their reporting. Some international media organisations, like The New York Times, have relocated staff out of Hong Kong due to safety concerns. Press freedom advocates warn that foreign correspondents covering sensitive issues may face surveillance or even expulsion.

What press outlets have shut down since the National Security Law in 2020?

Since the enactment of the National Security Law (NSL) in 2020, several prominent independent media outlets in Hong Kong have shut down due to government pressure, legal threats, and asset freezes. Some of the most notable closures include:

1. Apple Daily (June 2021)
2. Stand News (December 2021)
3. Citizen News (January 2022)
4. FactWire (June 2022)

Hong Kong Free Press is still operating, but it is facing financial and operational difficulties.

“Three years ago, the supporters who shone their lights outside Apple Daily’s headquarters knew that authorities wanted to extinguish the flame of freedom. Three years ago, Hong Kongers bought a record one million copies of Apple Daily; today, simply possessing a single copy of the newspaper could bring prosecution, a reflection of how Hong Kong’s freedoms have disappeared. Yet three years later Hong Kong people fight on, if more often in their hearts than in public, knowing that one day they will win the freedom that is rightfully theirs.”

– Mark Clifford, CFHK Foundation President

Our Impact

The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation consistently highlights the erosion of Hong Kong’s press freedom through communications campaigns, and supports journalists detained simply for doing their jobs, including Jimmy Lai and his former colleagues Ryan Law, Cheung Kim-hung, Chan Pui-man, Lam Man-chung, Fung Wai-kong, and Yeung Ching-kee, as well as former Stand News editor Chung Pui-kuen and many others. In the UK, the CFHK Foundation has been instrumental in presenting the ‘Jimmy Lai Bill,’ formally known as the ‘Consular Assistance (Journalists) Bill,’ which aims to give British reporters who are arbitrarily detained or held hostage by state actors a legal right to consular access.

Work We've Done on Press Freedom

Jimmy Lai Awarded Human Rights Prize in Toronto

March 20, 2025

March 20, 2025 – Today in Toronto, Canada, the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) awarded Jimmy Lai its annual Human Rights


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The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation supports press freedom in Hong Kong.

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