📡Guardians of Hong Kong aka BeWater HK
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#HongKong Bashes #GlobalMedia With Hundreds of Complaint Letters

//From Slovakia to Japan, top Hong Kong officials have fired off at least 500 letters in 2022 blasting critical foreign media coverage, as the city wages a global battle to safeguard its reputation as a liberal financial hub.

At least 174 media outlets in almost 30 countries received missives from city leaders -- including its now chief executive, #JohnLee -- since China announced in May 2020 that it would impose a national security law on the former British colony. The correspondence, often written both in English and the publication’s native language, was uploaded to the “Clarifications” tab of the government’s communications platform known as Brand Hong Kong.

About half of the letters, which responded to a mix of reports and editorials, hit back at criticism of Beijing’s sweeping security law, while roughly a third defended a mandate that only Communist Party loyalists can hold office in the city. Neighboring Asian nations got 42% of the complaints, led by Japan and South Korea, while business publications including the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Economist got the most letters. Bloomberg received seven...

Hong Kong’s crackdown on freedoms has eroded the city’s reputation among many foreign governments...

Hong Kong’s press freedom ranking has plummeted since the security law clamped down on free speech. The city came 148 in the Reporters Without Borders 2022 World Press Freedom Index, representing a fall of 68 places from last year.//

Source: Bloomberg #Jul25
https://t.co/OHZN4fVjye

#Whitewash #Censorship #PressFreedom #NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #Authoritarianism
#Court
Hong Kong's First case charged by
#NationalAnthemOrdinance for holding the British Hong Kong flag

In 2021, Hong Kong athlete Cheung Ka-Long won a gold medal on foil fencing at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The livestream of the game gathered people at a shopping mall in Kwun Tong on the day of the finals on July 26, 2021.

Police investigation followed, as the police claimed that some people misbehaved when the Chinese national anthem was played.

The police arrested an online media journalist, for reportedly holding a British Hong Kong flag when the Chinese national anthem was heard.

The man is the first Hong Kong citizen being arrested under #NationalAnthemOrdinance. He was being charged for insulting the national flag after a year of the event.

The case was first trialed on the afternoon of July 22, 2022. Since the counsel of the defendent requested more time to obtain the documents from prosecutor, Judge #LauSukHan approved the request and schedule the trial to September 9, 2022.

The defendant was allowed to go on bail with $5000. He has to hand in his travel documents and report at the police station once a week.

Source: Inmedia #July22
https://bit.ly/3OmHyO9

#Olympics2020 #TokyoOlympics #CheungKaLong #BritishHongKongFlag #HongKongFlag #DragonandLionFlag
#Censorship #Whitewash