#NetizensVoice

Just to be clear, there’s no such thing as a ‘fake journalist’ or ‘illegal reporting’ in Hong Kong.

(11 May) In Hong Kong, the freedom of press and the right to report is guaranteed by the basic law. You and I, and a 13-year-old student, can be journalists.

Under Article 27 of the Basic Law, all Hong Kong residents shall have freedom of speech, of the press and of publication. The Hong Kong Rights and Democracy Act also contains provisions to protect the press, publication and information.

Press freedom includes the right to interview, investigate, edit and comment without government interference, which is not a fundamental human right enjoyed only by journalists employed by commercial media, but by all residents in Hong Kong.

In short, everyone can be a journalist in Hong Kong.

There is no specific law regulating news coverage in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) issues membership card, which has nothing to do with whether a journalist is “real” or not.

Then maybe you’d ask, “Wow, so any irrelevant person can be a journalist?” That’s right. “So it is unregulated?” That’s right.

If you ask me, I’d rather it be “unregulated”. There’s a place where the government issues press cards, and journalists have to obtain official accreditation before they can report. That place is called the People’s Republic of China.

Especially in these chaotic times, I’d rather have more journalists on the scene. We’d be able to get more coverage with more cameras, so the public would know exactly what’s going on, which is important and also the best way to protect everyone (including the police and protestors).

Yesterday, the Hong Kong police targeted journalists intentionally, hoping to beat them up until they become too scared to report, so the public wouldn’t be able to see what the police did and how they treated protestors (or pedestrians) behind the cordon.

To be honest, suppressing press freedom would do no good to the police – why did no one believe them when they repeatedly “clarify” that they didn’t beat anyone to death during the 831 incident (31 Aug last year)? Because they kicked all journalists out that day.

Are journalists really unregulated? In fact, it relies on public scrutiny and the journalists’ professional integrity. Since anyone can be a journalist, the credibility of journalists must be maintained by journalists themselves. (That’s why some experienced journalists criticize online media journalists who swear and provoke the police when they are broadcasting live. This damages the press’ credibility. I’m not going to repeat too much of what other experienced journalists have said).

I would like to tell the 13-year-old journalist that his journalist vest is well-deserved based on his professional behavior. He is more righteous and competent than many so-called adults.

Source: 可晴’s Facebook
bit.ly/2Z3hdi5

#FreedomOfPress #Journalist #PoliceState #Article27

#HongkongProtests
Hongkongers Cite Freedoms Entitled by Basic Law on PRC's National Day

1622 | Causeway Bay
A civilian holding a banner that reads "Under Article 27 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong residents have the freedom to participate in marches and rallies."

Source: RTHK #Oct1

#BasicLaw #Article27