Hong Kong Police Should Stop Oppression and Release Journalists

On the morning of December 29 (Wednesday), the Hong Kong police arrested the six former and current executives from Stand News, a Hong Kong pro-democracy online newspaper. According to Violating National Security Law, the police issued warrants, seized and searched the office. After being arrested and searched, Stand News announced the closure.

Stand News is a democratic camp online newspaper established in December 2014 in the “Umbrella Revolution” and broadcasted live the bloody suppression of the Law of Extradition Against Protest in 2019. It has received evacuation as a representative media of the democratic camp.

Deputy Director Ronson Chan (President of the Hong Kong Journalists Association), former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen, former director Denise Ho (Anti-China Hong Kong singer), and Margaret Ng (former journalist, former legislator) got arrested.

The Government of China and Hong Kong arrested journalists of Apple News under the National Security Law, and it was closed by force in June 2021. Despite condemnation and statements of the journalists and Civil Society Organizations, the authorities have been arresting people and targeting the press for criticizing the government.

The May 18 Memorial Foundation condemns the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, and we urge a pacific resolution of the current situation as follows: 

1. Release the arrested journalists immediately.

2. Lift the freeze on media assets. 

3. Stop the oppression of the newspapers and guarantee freedom of speech and expression.

4. Ensure freedom and democracy in Hong Kong.

We stand with the citizen of Hong Kong and demand freedom and democracy in Hong Kong.

December 30, 2021

The May 18 Memorial Foundation