
Former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen is seen here Thursday on his way to court in Hong Kong. Photo: Daniel Lee, Grace Wai/Ritzau Scanpix
HK editors guilty of incitement to insurrection
Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, former chiefs of Stand News in Hong Kong, are convicted of inciting insurrection through planned articles – a first since 1997’s handover to China. Facing two years’ imprisonment, their case illustrates the shrinking press freedom in Hong Kong. Stand News, once a top online outlet, closed following a December 2021 police raid and asset freeze. The editors, with their parent company Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Ltd., denied guilt for the 17 implicated articles. The court emphasized national security risks in its verdict. The crackdown reflects China’s tightening grip on Hong Kong, deviating from its ‘one country, two systems’ promise and intensifying after large-scale protests and a national security law in 2019.