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Hong Kong's security law could have a chilling effect on press freedom
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Hong Kong's security law could have a chilling effect on press freedom

Hong Kong insists its vibrant community of journalists has nothing to fear from the national security legislation China imposed on the city this week. But press freedom advocates worry about creeping self-censorship, and there are signs that the new law may already be having a chilling effect.

International

Hong Kong insists its vibrant community of journalists has nothing to fear from the national security legislation China imposed on the city this week. But press freedom advocates worry about creeping self-censorship, and there are signs that the new law may already be having a chilling effect.

In what was once seen as a safe haven of free speech for local and foreign news organizations operating in the region, journalists and their sources are growing increasingly wary that as China takes a firmer grip on Hong Kong, they could be prosecuted.

The new law applies to any person in Hong Kong, both locals and foreign nationals. It criminalizes actions like calling for Hong Kong independence, or working with a foreign entity "to incite hatred" toward the Chinese government. A new enforcement committee will "strengthen the management" of NGOs and media working in Hong Kong. The police will also have new powers to search premises, wiretap suspects and order people to "delete information or provide assistance."

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Article 4 of the law says "the freedoms of speech, of the press, of publication, of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration" will be protected. But it also criminalizes the leaking of "state secrets," a vague term commonly used in China to cover a range of issues deemed to be in the national interest and which has been used in the past to imprison journalists like Gao Yu on the mainland. That could deter both journalists and sources from reporting or collaborating on stories relating to government affairs.