Hong Kong Watch testifies at UK parliamentary hearing on media freedom in Hong Kong and the case of Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily

Hong Kong Watch’s co-founder and Chief Executive Benedict Rogers today gave evidence at a hearing in the UK Houses of Parliament, on the dismantling of media freedom in Hong Kong and the case of Apple Daily and its founder and proprietor Jimmy Lai, who has been in prison since December 2020.

The hearing was part of an inquiry currently being conducted by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hong Kong into media freedom in Hong Kong. The session was chaired by the Co-Chair of the APPG Alistair Carmichael MP, alongside his fellow Co-Chair Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle and the Vice-Chair Lord Alton of Liverpool.

In his evidence, Benedict Rogers observed that “media freedom in Hong Kong has been almost completely dismantled” since the imposition of the National Security Law on 1 July 2020.

“The most symbolic illustrations of the destruction of media freedom are the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai and the closure of his newspaper, the Apple Daily, as well as the trial – ongoing as we speak – of the former Stand News editors on charges of publishing “seditious” material,” said Mr Rogers. He also highlighted the fact that “there are also former journalists Gwynneth Ho and Claudia Mo on trial among the 47 pro-democracy former legislators and activists, who have been in prison for over two years, denied bail, awaiting trial.”

In answering questions from the inquiry panel, Mr Rogers discussed the pressure on social media in Hong Kong, including the blocking of particular websites. He also called for funding to support the development of independent Cantonese media for the Hong Kong diaspora in exile.

Setting out what action the UK and other governments should take, Mr Rogers said:

“I hope that as a result of your inquiry, Parliamentarians will regularly raise cases of journalists and media executives currently in prison or awaiting trial in Hong Kong, and in particular Jimmy Lai’s case, given that he is a British citizen. The UK Government should be doing much more to call for his release and seek consular access to him.

The UK and other democratic governments around the world should issue emergency travel documents and visas for journalists at risk of arrest, if they are not eligible for the BNO scheme.

The UK and like-minded governments should engage international mechanisms, including the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression and follow-up on the UN Human Rights Committee’s recommendations to repeal the National Security Law.

And the UK and other like-minded governments should ensure that the Hong Kong and Beijing governments face targeted sanctions for dismantling Hong Kong’s promised freedoms.”

Hong Kong Watch has also submitted written evidence to the inquiry. Other witnesses included Caoilfhionn Gallagher, KC, who leads Jimmy Lai’s international legal team, former Next Media director and President of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Mark Clifford, former Hong Kong district councillor Carmen Lau and Fiona O’Brien, UK Director of Reporters Without Borders.