Hong Kong: Head of journalists’ group sentenced to 5 days in jail for 'obstructing police'

In what is being seen as another blow to press freedom in Hong Kong, the head of the finance hub’s leading journalists group was sentenced to five days in prison on Monday (September 25) for obstructing police officers last year.

According to Reuters, Ronson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was detained and handcuffed by two police officers in plainclothes while covering a story after he did not hand over his personal identity card – which all Hong Kong residents must carry.

Chan was arrested and accused of obstructing police officers and public disorder while he was covering a residents’ meeting in Mong Kok in September 2022.

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What happened?

The Magistratein the West Kowloon Magistrates Courts, Leung Ka-kie, found Chan guilty and said that a fine instead of jail would not reflect the gravity of the offence.

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The head of the journalist’s group in Hong Kong, who has since pleaded not guilty, had earlier told the court that he had asked the police to show their warrant cards before handing over his document.

Leung also refused to consider community service saying that Chan did not show any remorse and granted him a $3,800 bail after his lawyers said they would appeal. The journalist is not allowed to leave Hong Kong and was made to surrender his travel documents.

After the hearing, Chan said he was not surprised by the custodial sentence and said, “Everyone can see how the court views the case. I think justice is in our heart.”

He also hoped that journalists could “stand firm” in their duty to cover truthful news for Hong Kong and the world, as per Reuters. It was difficult to say what impact his case would have on press freedom, said Chan.

The association led by Chan is one of the last major professional groups in Hong Kong advocating for fundamental rights and press freedoms after the enactment of the national security law by Chinese authorities back in 2020.

CPJ condemns sentence

In a statement after the sentencing, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said that it condemned what it described as “another deliberate humiliation” of press freedom in Hong Kong.

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“The 5-day sentence issued to journalist Ronson Chan is another deliberate humiliation to the freedom of the press in Hong Kong by authorities,” said Iris Hsu, CPJ’s China representative.

“The court decision gives grounds to Hong Kong police’s harassment of journalists who are simply doing their job and shows how intolerant the Hong Kong government is towards the press.”

At least 43 journalists are in Chinese prisons, according to the CPJ’s December 1, 2022, prison census.Beijing has also been dubbed as the world’s second-worst jailer of journalists by the press freedom organisation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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