Hong Kong Court Sentences Former Stand News Editor in Sedition Case

A Hong Kong court sentenced Chung Pui-kuen, former editor-in-chief of Stand News, to 21 months in prison on sedition charges. Patrick Lam, former acting editor-in-chief, was freed due to ill health and time served. This case signifies the declining media freedom in Hong Kong under Chinese rule.

A Hong Kong court sentenced Chung Pui-kuen, the former editor-in-chief of the now-closed Stand News, to 21 months in prison on Thursday in a sedition case that has sparked concerns about the state of media freedom in the city. Once a symbol of press liberty in Asia, Hong Kong's press environment continues to deteriorate.

Chung and the former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam are the first journalists convicted under a colonial-era sedition law since Hong Kong reverted to Chinese governance in 1997. While Chung received a 21-month sentence, Lam was released after his sentence was mitigated due to ill health and the time he had already spent in custody.

Stand News was among the last media outlets in Hong Kong to openly criticize the authorities, especially as Beijing intensified its crackdown on dissidents following the pro-democracy protests in 2019. Last month, the court also found Chung, Lam, and Stand News' holding company, Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Ltd., guilty of conspiracy to publish and reproduce seditious material. A first offence carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of 5,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately $640).