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Friday, Jun 02, 2023
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Watchdog criticizes actions targeting journalists in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Journalists Association said it strongly condemns actions targeting journalists in the city, following reports that some court reporters were being followed or monitored while carrying out their duties.
The journalist watchdog’s statement came after a court reporter from the English-language news outlet Hong Kong Free Press said she was followed by two unknown men wearing earpieces from her home to work for over an hour on Wednesday. The reporter had since filed a police report.
Apart from Wednesday’s case, the association said they have received reports from journalists that two men were loitering outside the press room of the District Court on Tuesday (March 21) after the court heard the Stand News trial.
It is understood that the two had once shown courthouse security members their credentials.
One of them reportedly waited outside the press room for over an hour and attempted to follow reporters who were leaving the court. The association also noted that the reporters being followed suspected the two were plain-clothes police officers judging from their appearance and actions.
The association said they have since inquired the police force and the Judiciary whether the two were law enforcement agents and whether they have any law enforcement actions against journalists lately.
It added that it is of grave concern that court reporters were being followed, which the association suspected to be attempts to harass or intimidate journalists from exercising their freedom of the press.
Apart from Wednesday’s case, the association said they have received reports from journalists that two men were loitering outside the press room of the District Court on Tuesday (March 21) after the court heard the Stand News trial.
It is understood that the two had once shown courthouse security members their credentials.
One of them reportedly waited outside the press room for over an hour and attempted to follow reporters who were leaving the court. The association also noted that the reporters being followed suspected the two were plain-clothes police officers judging from their appearance and actions.
The association said they have since inquired the police force and the Judiciary whether the two were law enforcement agents and whether they have any law enforcement actions against journalists lately.
It added that it is of grave concern that court reporters were being followed, which the association suspected to be attempts to harass or intimidate journalists from exercising their freedom of the press.
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