#FirstHand #Apr22
Bao Choy: I will keep on being a journalist

Award-winning investigative journalist #BaoChoy gave her statement, after the court in Hong Kong ruled her guilty of "making false declaration" when making car plate license searches for the RTHK documentary program "Hong Kong Connections".

Choy pointed out that there will probably be less and less news platform available, in the presence of more and more political pressure in Hong Kong. "But I do believe that we can still work things out," Choy said. "I will keep on working as a journalist. This is the best response and my most positive reaction to the ruling."

#Professionalism #Journalism #Integrity

#FirstHand #Apr22 #StandwithBaoChoy
Conducting Journalists' Work is Not Guilty, Defending Press Freedom is Not Guilty: HK Journalist Bao Choy

Breaking into tears amid cheers of encouragement from fellow Hongkongers, investigative journalist #BaoChoy spoke to the press outside the West Kowloon Law Courts Building on April 22, 2021.

This took place after she was convicted of "knowingly making false statements" when obtaining public records.

Choy admitted that she is saddened and heart-broken because the conviction represents another step towards stifled press freedom in Hong Kong, not only criminalizing a commonly used investigative method for journalists to unveil the truth, but also reducing the space for reporters to defend press freedom.

The prosecution accused Choy of making false statement to obtain data, citing a law that says the car records could only be used for transport-related matters.

Choy disagreed to the court’s ruling, reiterating that “conducting a search for investigative reporting is not guilty. Defending press freedom is not guilty.”

She further explained that the verdict has set a precedence to “unreasonably and disproportionally restricting press freedom and disregarding the general public’s legitimate rights to access to information.”

“A reporter would risk making a false statement when conducting a search of car ownership involved in, for example, a car accident, because the reporter is not the concerning party," Choy pointed out the intent of the current ordinance is inconsistent to the Court's ruling.

Although Choy recognized the long-term impact of the court’s verdict on the city’s media industry, she uttered words of encouragement for fellow reporters to not give up seeking alternative ways to bring issues into light when carrying out the rightful duty of the journalists in a bid to defend #PressFreedom.

#PoliticalProsecution #Censorship #Professionalism #Journalism

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Related News:
Bao Choy: I will keep on being a journalist
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/29488

#RTHK Staff in Support of Journalist Being Sued: "Journalism is not a crime"
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/29486

#NeverGiveUp #Hope
Hong Kong Journalist #BaoChoy Awarded #NiemanFellowship by #HarvardUniversity

The Hong Kong court convicted former #RTHK producer and award-winning journalist Bao Choy Yuk-ling of "false declaration" when checking the license plates for an investigative report. The court's ruling sparked off enormous outcry among journalists and citizens in Hong Kong.

Choy pleaded not guilty and is applying for a judicial review. The episode "7.21: Who Owns the Truth" produced by Choy for RTHK's news documentary program "#HongKongConnection" has recently received the prestigious Kam Yiu-yu Press Freedom Award. The episode investigates the Yuen Long mob attack on passersbys and pro-democracy citizens during the Anti-ELAB protests in Hong Kong on July 21, 2019.

On May 25, 2021, Choy has been awarded the Nieman Fellowship, an internationally-renowned journalism scholarship, and will attend Harvard University for a year with 21 other recipients from Washington Post, The Guardian, Associated Press and others around the world.

Established in 1938, the fellowship is one of the oldest in the journalism industry, funding over 1,600 distinguished media workers over the years to study and collaborate with peers and experts at Harvard University. As a member of the fellowship's "Class of 2022", Choi plans to explore how independent investigation and media can be developed and sustained under totalitarian regime.

Source: Stand News #May25

https://beta.thestandnews.com/society/蔡玉玲獲尼曼獎學金-將赴哈佛進修-研究媒體如何在獨裁政權下生存限制

#Journalism #Professionalism #Integrity

#PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoner #WhiteTerror
HK Police Charges #AppleDaily Editor-in-chief and #NextDigital CEO with #NationalSecurityLaw

At 10pm on June 18, 2021, deputy editor of Apple Daily, #ChanPuiMan, left the Tseung Kwan O police station on bail after being detained for over 40 hours.

Photos:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30148

She told the media that she was proud of her colleagues at Apple Daily who carried on their duty and responsibility, undeterred.

"I am proud of their professionalism," Chan said outside of the police station.

On June 17, 2021, 3 editors and 2 executives of Apple Daily were arrested by the Hong Kong police for #NationalSecurityLaw violation.

Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30130

While chief executive editor #CheungChiWai and the chief operating officer #ChowTatKuen were also released on bail; the police pressed charges on the newspaper's editor-in-chief #RyanLaw and the chief executive of #NextDigital #CheungKimHung.The two will be mentioned in court the next day on June 19, 2021.

Before leaving, deputy editor Chan Pui-man said she will support her colleagues in court. Chan then left with her husband #ChungPuiKuen, the editor-in-chief of #StandNews.

Source: Stand News; Apple Daily #Jun18

https://bit.ly/3vDEN1R

#Censorship #PressFreedom #Professionalism #PoliceState

====
Related stories:

We Will Press On": Apple Daily Prints 500,000 Copies Despite Police Raid

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30142

Hongkongers Rush to Support Apple Daily After Midnight

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30140

#Journalism #Professionalism
Stand News Roll Out New Strategies to Protect Journalists and Readers

Source: In-Media HK #June27

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30455

#Journalism #Professionalism
Stand News Roll Out New Strategies to Protect Journalists and Readers

On June 27, 2021, online news outlet #StandNews issued a statement stating that they will take down articles published before and during May 2021 and will stop receiving sponsorship.

The decision was announced following the shutdown of the city's pro-democracy newspaper #AppleDaily.

Six directors of the parent company, including Ka Fai Yee (余家輝) ,TC Chow (周達智), Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee (吳靄儀), Denise Ho Wan-see (何韻詩), Christine Fang Meng-sang (方敏生) and Joseph Lian (練乙錚), are resigning from the board.

The news outlet indicated that they will continue to operate. The remaining two chief editors, Tony Tsoi and Apple Daily’s former associate publisher Chan Pui-man's husband Chung Pui-kuen (鍾沛權) will remain in office.

In the statement, Stand News pointed out that in order to avoid wasting supporters' donations in the event of an incident, they would pause patronage and immediately suspend the monthly member sponsorship program. They will also stop accepting new members and new sponsorship.

Stand News wrote that because of the approaching literary persecution, the company decided to temporarily take down blog articles, re-posted articles and reader contributions published before May 2021; while continue to back up the content of the website.

According to the current financial reserve, it is sufficient to meet the expenses for the next 9 to 12 months.

The news outlet indicated that since May 2021, the employment contracts of employees who have been employed for more than six months were terminated. Their annual salary was settled at an amount higher than the compensation required by law, and their contracts were re-signed at terms no lower than the original ones.

Stand News called on supporters in their statement to redirect their current support to other independent media outlets, freelance journalists, commentators and journalism organizations that uphold freedom of speech and press in Hong Kong.

Source: In-Media HK #June27
https://bit.ly/3vYb2sz

#MediaLandscape #Journalism #HongKongMedia

#Cinema #Art
#CannesFilmFestival screens Hong Kong director #KiwiChow's social movement #documentary “Revolution of Our Times” at the last minute

The annual Cannes Film Festival which is closing on July 17, 2021 suddenly announced that it will screen “Revolution of Our Times”, a documentary on Hong Kong’s pro-demoncracy movement in 2019, at 11am on July 16.

The documentary was directed by Hong Kong director Kiwi Chow whose previous works include Ten Years, and Beyond the Dream.

In his interview with the Wall Street Journal, Chow said he spent two years producing the film in secret. His friends had tried to convince to him to leave Hong Kong, hide his name from the film, or at least change the title of the film; but he refused.

“It is not freedom if I had to guess where the red line is”, Chow said.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Festival announced the screening of “Revolutions of Our Times” at the last minute in order to protect the film crew.

On July 14, 2021, the Festival sent out an email to some media stating a “surprise documentary” would be added, and about 10 reporters were invited to a private viewing. The media were required to keep the news a secret until the afternoon July 15.

Source: Stand News; Hollywood Reporter; Wall Street Journal #Jul15

https://thestandnews.page.link/twLjaX818nrWtMTj9

#ProtestArt #Professionalism #HongKongDirector #RevolutionofOurTimes

#Conscience #Professionalism
HK Journalist Reporting Police Brutality Does Not Back Down Despite Threats

Source: Stand News #Aug30

Read more
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#Conscience #Professionalism
HK Journalist Reporting Police Brutality Does Not Back Down Despite Threats

Wanchai district councilor #LeungPakKin was a journalist for #RicePost on the scene of the 8.31 Prince Edward Attack, and had recorded video of the attack as it unfolded in 2019.

Earlier in August 2021, someone had mailed him a box cutter blade, along with a threatening letter: "Shut up about 8.31, and your family will stay safe".

In response to inquiries by Stand News, Leung saif that he will not keep quiet because of the letter. He says that the attack had been a collective memory of everyone, and it will not disappear simply because he stopped talking.

He elaborates on his thoughts on the letter on his Facebook page, stating that it didn't have to be him talking about the 8.31 attack by the police. "The video already showed everything. The people and events in the video are the most important [proof]. The violence dealt by the armed men in the video, whether they're reasonable, whether they're proportional - there's no need for me to say more."

Leung said that he had turned down all interviews since last year.

Source: Stand News #Aug30

https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/%E6%9B%BE%E6%8B%8D%E7%89%87%E7%B4%80%E9%8C%84-831-%E5%A4%AA%E5%AD%90%E7%AB%99%E5%85%A7%E6%83%85%E6%B3%81-%E6%A2%81%E6%9F%8F%E5%A0%85%E6%94%B6%E5%88%80%E7%89%87%E6%81%90%E5%9A%87%E4%BF%A1

#831PrinceEdward #WhiteTerror #Censorship #Threat #DistrictCouncillor #Journalism

Independent Investigation: World Bank’s Seniors Put Pressure on Staff to Improve China's Business Environment Ranking for a Good Impression

An independent investigation stated that former and current seniors of the World Bank put pressure on employees, asking them to improve the ranking of China in “Doing Business 2018” by the Bank of the World. World Bank then made a statement to announce the suspension on publishing “Doing Business 2018”. The seniors include former President, who is also the Korean American Medical Professor, Jim Yong Kim, and current International Monetary Fund President, Kristalina Georgieva.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated that the Chinese government attached importance to optimising the business environment with an excellent result. They also hope the World Bank will conduct a comprehensive investigation under internal review procedures on relevant issues based on facts, rules, professionalism and objectivity. As a result, they can maintain the professionalism and credibility of the Global Business Environment Report and the reputation of the World Bank and member states.

Source: Stand News #Sep17

https://bit.ly/3lrB71i

#WorldBank #China #BusinessEnvironment #EthicalIssues #Credibility #Professionalism #ZhaoLijian #ForeignMinistry #DoingBusiness2018