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Anticipated Verdict in Sedition Trial of Two Hong Kong Journalists


In Hong Kong, a verdict is expected in a sedition case against two journalists from the defunct pro-democracy newspaper Stand News. Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to publish seditious materials under a law dating back to Hong Kong’s time as a British colony. This trial is seen as a test of press freedom in the Chinese territory, with authorities using the sedition law in a crackdown on dissent following the mass protests in 2019. The verdict comes almost two years after the trial began and could result in up to two years in prison and a fine for the journalists.

Stand News was shut down in 2021, and its parent company was charged in connection with the case but not represented in the trial. The closure of Stand News and other pro-democracy news outlets has raised concerns about the decline of press freedom in Hong Kong. The country has seen a significant decrease in its ranking in press freedom indexes, with many pro-democracy figures being arrested and civil society groups shutting down.

The case against Stand News was based on articles published criticizing the national security law and featuring interviews with exiled pro-democracy activists. The journalists’ defense argued that they were legitimate journalists reporting on important issues. The impact of the national security law has sparked international outcry, with critics arguing that it is being used to suppress dissent and restrict freedom of speech and the press in Hong Kong.

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www.nbcnews.com

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