Written By Lisa Murimi
Two senior journalists from the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper *Stand News* have been jailed in Hong Kong after being convicted in a landmark sedition case.
Chung Pui-kuen was sentenced to 21 months in prison, while Patrick Lam received 11 months but was released on medical grounds.
The newspaper’s publisher, *Best Pencil*, was fined HK$5,000.
The convictions mark the first sedition case against journalists in Hong Kong since its handover from Britain to China in 1997.
The court found that *Stand News* had published 11 articles deemed seditious, accusing the outlet of becoming a “danger to national security” by promoting Hong Kong’s autonomy and criticizing Beijing.
The trial, which began in 2022, ended with District Court Judge Kwok Wai-kin stating that *Stand News* had “smeared” China’s central authorities and Hong Kong’s government.
Both journalists were charged under a colonial-era sedition law, which had seen little use until recently.
Rights groups condemned the sentencing, with Reporters Without Borders calling it a blow to press freedom.
The case has drawn international criticism, with the U.S. warning of its chilling effect on
journalists.
Hong Kong’s press freedom ranking has plummeted, reflecting growing restrictions since the introduction of the National Security Law in 2020
