FILE – Chris Yeung, founder and chief writer of Citizen News waves to journalists after a news conference outside his office in Hong Kong, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday that the recent closure of two media outlets in the city cannot be associated with the state of press freedom in Hong Kong as the decisions were made by the outlets themselves. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 10:59 AM PT – Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Hong Kong is seeing the extinction of its longstanding freedom of press, but the region’s leader, Carrie Lam, is dismissing worries. While speaking Tuesday, regional Chief Executive Lam said she rejects the idea of so-called “Western media” suggesting that free press is dying in the territory.
This statement came after multiple pro-democracy newspapers were shuttered due to fears surrounding the nation’s recently enacted national security law. According to Lam, everyone agrees that press freedoms should be guaranteed just as long as the press agrees with the Chinese Communist Party.
“But nothing is more important than the rule of law in Hong Kong,” Lam stated. “And journalists and media organizations like all of us have to respect and comply with the law. If they are fearful of not being able to comply with the law then they have to make up their mind and take the necessary decisions.”
Deeply concerned by the closure of Stand News and related arrests in Hong Kong. A confident government that is unafraid of the truth embraces a free press. We call on the Hong Kong authorities to stop targeting the independent media and release those unjustly detained.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) December 30, 2021
Hong Kong was supposed to be guaranteed freedom from CCP overreach until 2047 following its handover from Britain 25-years ago. However, it has been battling for autonomy for the past several years.
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