The Last Day of #StandNews: Hongkongers' Professionalism and Perseverance

Stand News, an independent news outlet in Hong Kong, was founded in December 2014, and it has come to an end after seven years.

Two years ago in 2019, Hong Kong was caught up in the historic #AntiELAB movement. Stand News provided live streams on the frontlines in various districts, narrating the latest situation live, recording the city's most tumultuous moments. Their efforts made Stand News stand out from the numerous news media platforms.

In June 2021, the National Security Bureau arrested senior personnel from #NextMedia, forcing the shut down of #AppleDaily and leading to the closure of a number of publications. Stand News became the largest open, pro-democracy online news website in Hong Kong.

However, the #HKSAR government singled out Stand News on numerous occasions this year, accusing the company for "misleading" reporting of the CUHK clashes and smart prisons.

Finally on December 29, 2021, after a number of current and former seniors were arrested and the company's assets frozen, Stand News announces to cease operation and to dismiss its entire staff.

Staff members returned to the Stand News office in the afternoon, one after another. By the evening, many of them are still in the office, and rounds of applause are occasionally heard. They also took photographs with the journalists waiting outside the office, recording of their moment in history: "I have fought a good fight."

Stand News suspends its website, Facebook page, Youtube channel, and Twitter and Instagram accounts at 11pm on December 29. All content has been removed.

Source: CitizenNews; InMedia #Dec29

#Media #PoliticalOppression #PressFreedom #Regime #Arrest #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution #NSL

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Related News:

Stand News: Operation ceased; social media accounts will be removed
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31757

Hong Kong National Security raid pro-democracy newspaper, arrested 6 senior staff
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31751

Hong Kong Authorities' #Crackdown on Stand News
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31752

Stand News Thanks Hongkongers for Their Support Despite #PoliticalOppression
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31765

Hong Kong Police Issues Arrest warrant for Stand News founder
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31766

The Last Stand of #StandNews in Hong Kong
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31770

#Taiwan Condemns Hong Kong Authorities' Crackdown on #StandNews

On December 29, 2021, Taiwan's three major political parties all issued statements in response to Hong Kong Police's crackdown on Stand News, expressing their concern and condemnation.

Taiwan's ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party (#DPP), expressed "indignation and resentment" at the Hong Kong police's flagrant actions, searching media offices and arresting promoters of freedom and democracy. They consider these acts as strangling Hong Kong's freedom of expression and creating a chilling effect among media and public opinion. The DPP calls on the international community and Taiwan to continue observing Hong Kong's development.

The statement by New Power Party (#NPP) calls the actions by Hong Kong's national security police "disproportional", causing serious damage to the freedom of press, and effectively nullifies the rights laid out in the Basic Law: "Hong Kong residents shall have freedom of speech, of the press and of publication; freedom of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration; and the right and freedom to form and join trade unions, and to strike."

#Kuomintang, Taiwan's current opposition party, expressed deep concern that the authorities shut down a media company that spoke up for different public opinions and upheld principles of democracy, freedom, and human rights. They called on Chinese authorities to respect the younger generation's view of democratic values and freedom of speech. As Hong Kong had been the revolutionary headquarter of Dr Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of modern China, Hong Kong's democracy and freedom are deeply tied to the pursuit of democracy and freedom on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Source: Citizen News; Liberty Times #Dec29
https://www.facebook.com/366243453719070/posts/1618965958446807/

https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/3784313

#Media #PoliticalOppression #PressFreedom #Arrest #Regime #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
Former #StandNews editors Denied Bail; UK office Ceases Operation a Day after crackdowns by Hong Kong Authorities

In Hong Kong, two former Stand News editors #ChungPuiKuen and Patrick #LamSiuTung were denied bail by West Kowloon Court on 30 December, 2021, one day after they were arrested by Hong Kong national security police.

Former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen, and former acting editor-in-chief #PatrickLam were accused of "conspiring with others to publish or reproduce seditious publications" between July 7, 2020 and December 29, 2021.

Chung was the only defendant appeared at the hearing while Lam could not attend due to health reasons. Both defendants were remanded in custody as the magistrate was not convinced that they would not carry out acts endangering national security.

Outside the magistrate court, tens of former employees of Stand News gathered to bid farewell to Chung Pui-kuen. Many of them broke into tears as they waved goodbye to Chung. Others called out words of encouragement for Chung to stay strong.

Police on the site, however, shouted at the crowd disrespectfully, ordering them to go away and leave.

Meanwhile, #YeungTinShui, head of Stand News’ office in the UK, announced on Facebook on December 30, 2021 that the office has ceased operations and he had resigned.

On December 29, 2021, the national security police arrested senior staff members and board directors of Stand News and froze the outlet's assets that worth HK$61 million. The Force raided the news outlet's newsroom and offices in Hong Kong, seized 62 computers, 27 storage devices and six boxes of documents in the operation. Stand News, a popular pro-democracy online media outlet, was forced to fold its operation and dismissed all employees on the same day.

#Media #PoliticalOppression #PressFreedom #Arrest #Regime #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution

Source: Inmediahk.net, RTHK; #Dec30
https://bit.ly/31bUO5L

====
Related News:

Stand News: Operation ceased; social media accounts will be removed
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31757

Hong Kong National Security raid pro-democracy newspaper, arrested 6 senior staff
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31751

Hong Kong Authorities' #Crackdown on Stand News
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31752

Stand News Thanks Hongkongers for Their Support Despite #PoliticalOppression
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31765

Hong Kong Police Issues Arrest warrant for Stand News founder
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31766

#WhiteTerror #PressFreedom
“Is there any trustworthy media outlet left in Hong Kong?” ask Readers of now-defunct Stand News

In Hong Kong, Stand News, an independent pro-democracy media outlet, was forced into closure on December 29, 2021 when 7 personnel linked to the outlet were arrested by the National Security police on suspicion of “conspiracy to distribute seditious publications”.

In late evening on the same day, a young couple, Ah Wai and his girlfriend, who resides in Wong Tai Sin went all the way to the news outlet’s office in Kwun Tong to bid farewell to the reporters.

“We want to thank the reporters of Stand News," said the couple. "We’ve been reading their news reports. Without their hard work, there won’t be anything worth reading [in Hong Kong].”

The young couple used to read #AppleDaily. After Apple Daily was forced to close down in June this year, they switched to Stand News. Although both acknowledged that local authorities were set to crackdown on Stand News, they didn’t expect it to happen that day.

The couple told reporters that they were astonished to learn that senior staff members of Stand News were arrested, and the newsroom being raided. It took a long time for Ah Wai’s girlfriend to settle her mind before she could get back to work. They watched the latest video published by Stand News on its social media, "2021 Tree Cave" and shared that with their friends, regardless of their political orientation.

“I believe disseminating their work is the best way to show our respect to Stand News. Reporters who produced the video would certainly want more people to know about it.”

Ah Wai’s girlfriend continued saying that the last video produced by Stand News has been keeping her company and heartened. “[The video] tells more than how gloomy an era we are facing, it tried to shed lights for us to carry on our lives.”

It is for the same reason that took the young couple to the office of Stand News. “[we] perhaps can’t do anything for the reporters, but we can at least keep them companied.”

She added that pro-democracy media outlets in Hong Kong have been targeted and cracked down one after another in the past 6 months. Stand News was among the few trusted outlets left for her to “learn the fact and true happenings in Hong Kong.”

With Stand News closing down, she sighed and felt losing connection with society.

In her keen voice, she asked the reporters, “is there any trustworthy news outlet left in Hong Kong?”

Inside the office of Stand News in this late evening, many staff members lingered on chatting with each other. Some of them walked by the door where Ah Wai and his girlfriend were standing. Ah Wai’s girlfriend waved to them to say thank you, “thank you for the hard work. I read news reports on Stand News almost every day. They become my long-time companion. I hope you all can find your own way and carry on.”

Source: Inmediahk.net; #Dec30
https://bit.ly/3sHeZUq

#Solidarity #Humanity #Crackdown #PressFreedom #PoliticalOppression #StandNews #Readers #Hongkongers

#Breaking #PressFreedom
Hong Kong Citizen News announces its closure 5 years after its establishment

Below is the press’ open letter to its readers:

A farewell from Hong Kong Citizen News

Today is 2 Jan 2022, hkcnews has to say goodbye to all our readers 5 years after our establishment.

It is still in our vivid memory that on 1 Jan 2017, hkcnews was established. During the press conference for announcment, many experienced reporters had expressed their concerns over press freedom in Hong Kong, hoping that hkcnews could uphold the spirit of professionaism, stay true to the essence of journalism, and serve the public. During that time, we "hoped that this tiny step we take could gradually encourage the industry to protect the freedom of press".

Then, albeit facing extremely scarce resources, hkcnews slowly made our tiny stpes, paving our way into the news reporting world. We strove our best to cover exclusive news, data analysis, interviews, investigative reports, feature articles, court news, Chinese news, etc.. Although our coverage might not be the broadest, nor the fastest, but this little team of us has never stopped striving for depth and accuracies in our reports.

We started from having only 10 people in our team, now we are proud colleagues of dozens professionals, and from being a nobody, to hearing people saying they have been reading our articles.

It’s been 5 years. We truly thank all for your support.

─────────

The first news article of hkcnews, published on 1 Jan 2017.

"Hong Kong Citizen News was born on this special new year because we want you all to remember, regardless of situations, that 'This land we cherish, into our bones this love we’ve etched, happy or sad, in life or death, it's still Hong Kong, our land'."

We all love this place, yet with regret, we are not only facing a storm, but a tornado and tsunami.

We have never forgotten the reason we started. Unfortunately, with the radical change in our society, the environment for journalism has been deteriorating. We can no longer strive for our aim fearlessly.

Right in the eye of the typhoon, the little boat of us is in severe situation of waves and winds. We have to first make sure everyone in hkcnews is safe under such dangerous situation.

Therefore it is with utmost sadness that we announce:

Starting from 4 Jan 2022, Hong Kong Citizen News will cease operation. We will stop updating our websites, which will be shut down sometime later.

We sincerely thank our subscribers and readers for all of your support, which we will hold dearly onto, and remember, forever.

All those we have gone through in the past 5 years will be cherished memories of ours.

Hong Kong Citizen News

Source: Citizen News; #Jan2
#Media #CloseDown #Solidarity #Humanity #PressFreedom #PoliticalOppression #Readers #Hongkongers #WhiteTerror

#Court #AntiELAB
Pro-democracy Engineer tells Hong Kong Court to "Return the Power to the Citizens"

Part 1:

[Editor's notes: On July 28, 2019, the police fired numerous #teargas canisters and #rubberbullets in #SheungWan in order to disperse the crowd. 44 people were arrested, 21 of them were charged for rioting. The Court extended the trial from November 13 to December 4, 2021.]

In Hong Kong, 20 civilians, including an 26-year old engineer who pleaded guilty earlier, were accused of the riot at the police-citizen conflict at #SheungWan on July 28, 2019.

On December 4, 2021, Kun Kit-Wang, a 26-year-old engineer, defended himself in court in Hong Kong over rioting charges in the 2019 AntiELAB Movement.

Kun pleaded guilty before the trial and was under detention since May when he revoked his bail.

In court, Kun thanked the magistrate for reminding him to find a legal representative in the previous trial, but he still hoped to defend himself.

Kun said that during the 2019 #AntiELABmovement, #July28 was nothing special originally, but because of the Police’s indulgence of the #July21 indiscriminate attack in #YuenLong, that night triggered the most anger from citizens, and resulted in much anger on the rally on July 28.

He used a quote from #MartinLutherKing, "Riot is a language of the unheard", saying that the #riot classification reflects the government’s negligence of the citizens' opinion.

As a result, he admitted to being part of the riot with no hesitation and indicated that the government should feel ashamed of their actions, not the citizens.

He said there were two #rallies with a million people on #Jun9 and #Jun16, 2019, demonstrating the vox populi. Although the peaceful demonstration gained international accreditation, the Hong Kong government still ignored the backlash and made the decision on their own.

He recalled a quote painted on the wall of the #LegCo chsmber on #Jul01, 2019, "It's you who taught me a peaceful rally can't change anything." It expresses the hopelessness, frustration and anger felt by #Hongkongers at the time.

As there had been magistrate that were unknowledgable concerning the protesters' demands, Kun said that the protesters only hoped for having a chance to participate in policy advocacy, which some regard as "returning the power to the people".

If the #HongKongLegCo does not gain authorisation of the people or does not have a peaceful system to resolve problems, it is suppression. #MaoZedong has said, "fight as there is suppression".

He also pointed out that the #ProvisionalLegislativeCouncil (#PLC) installed by the post-handover government in 1997 was not authorised by the citizens. The handpicked council revived the #PublicOrderOrdinance, which became the law behind the prosecution of many dissidents.

As a person bound by the law, he would like to ask, "do I have the responsibility to obey a contract that I disagree with to begin with?”

Continue with Part 2:


Source: Inmedia #Dec04
https://bit.ly/3ozeOIm

#Defence #PoliticalOppression

#Court #AntiELAB
Pro-democracy Engineer tells Hong Kong Court: We would not be in court if we have democracy

[Editor's notes: On July 28, 2019, the police fired numerous #teargas canisters and #rubberbullets in #SheungWan in order to disperse the crowd. 44 people were arrested, 21 of them were charged for rioting. The Court extended the trial from November 13 to December 4, 2021.]

In Hong Kong, 20 civilians, including an 26-year old engineer who pleaded guilty earlier, were accused of the riot at the police-citizen conflict at #SheungWan on July 28, 2019.

On December 4, 2021, Kun Kit-Wang, a 26-year-old engineer, defended himself in court in Hong Kong over rioting charges in the 2019 AntiELAB Movement.

Read Part 1:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31827

Continue with Part 2:

In the courtroom, Kun pointed out that the magistrate may think he has a high possibility of reoffending, as he does not show regrets for what he has done. Kun pointed out that "whether it is a re-offence or another riot, it's not his choice but it is up to the government".

He also made reference to a movie, in which the emperor was worried about the number of the beggar's followers, so the emperor would like to dismiss them in order to have a “peaceful" governance. Nevertheless, the beggar told the emperor that no one would choose to be a beggar if the community was stable, and he was not the one to make a choice on whether the beggar community were to disband.

Kun recommended the government to "return the power to the citizens", listen to the citizens' demands, respect people's opinions and resolve the issues behind the riot. The government, however, "strangles the people's outcry with an iron fist", eliminating those who pointed out the problems in the society. Under the circumstances, how could citizens have peace?

He said that in the end, "Fellow defendants, including myself, would not appear in courts if it was a democratic society. Although I was rash on that day, I don't think there was anything wrong in the start. Perhaps, I feel sorry for my family and the people around me, but I have no regret, I am not going to plead, but I welcome a light sentence by the court. This self-defence letter is a small but real struggle in the reality that I live in.”

Source: Inmedia #Dec04
https://bit.ly/3ozeOIm

#PoliticalOppression #Defence

#PoliticalOppression
Pro-democracy shop asked to flip over a banner that says “Hong Kong’s Future is Bright”

A pro-democracy retail chain in Hong Kong, Chickeeduck, hoisted a banner that read “ Hong Kong’s future is bright” to promote its new shop in Causeway Bay. However, workers of the shop were asked to turn the banner over as a member of the Incorporated Owners’ committee didn’t like it.

CEO of #Chickeeduck, #HerbertChow told reporters that he did ask the Committee for prior consent before producing the banner and putting it up.

In frustration, he called the Committee member's action barbarous and absurd.

Source: inmediahk; #Jan22
https://bit.ly/3fOfSDe