Hong Kong Journalists Convicted in Sedition Case

A Hong Kong court has convicted two former editors of the now-defunct Stand News, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, for conspiracy to publish seditious materials, amid ongoing concerns about media freedom in the region. The case, widely seen as a critical test for press freedom since the introduction of the National Security Law, follows their arrest in December 2021 and the shutdown of Stand News shortly thereafter. Human Rights Watch has called for the convictions to be overturned, highlighting the chilling effect on journalists in Hong Kong. Prosecutors presented 17 articles from Stand News as evidence, claiming they incited hatred against the government. Both editors face up to two years in prison, with this ruling marking the first significant sedition case involving media since Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in 1997. The situation reflects broader concerns over the erosion of civil liberties under the National Security Law, which has been used to silence dissenting voices in the city.