Hong Kong blocks popular pro-democracy website HKChronicles

A Hong Kong internet service provider has admitted to knowingly blocking a pro-democracy website's access from its users under the much-criticised China's National Security Law.

The provider, Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN), is a popular internet service provider in the city. The company took conscious efforts to block the pro-democracy website HKChronicles in the city.

HKBN also admitted that the block was initiated only after official order. "We have disabled the access to the website in compliance with the requirement issued under the national security law," the company said.

The popular website had data, including pictures, videos, article, information and experiences of the 2019 unrest in Hong Kong against China in a battle to win their democratic rights back from the Asian country.

HKChronicles' Editor Naomi Chan claims the users started facing difficulty in accessing the website on January 06. Users then shifted to an overseas internet provider and found out the website was accessible.

The Chairman of Hong Kong Internet Service Providers has raised concern over this action by the police and has urged the police to "publicly explain the grounds to prevent unfounded speculation about their motives".

Talking about the disruption of the free flow of information, Lento Yip Yuk-fai, chairman of the Hong Kong Internet Service Providers Association said, "The police should come forward to explain clearly about their legal reasoning to minimise the move's impact on the city's free flow of information, as well as to prevent unfounded speculation from circulating."

"Given telecoms companies were usually cooperative with police requests, authorities should also explain avenues for appeal," he added.