Citizen News, an independent news portal in Hong Kong said Sunday that it would cease operations Tuesday due to the deteriorating media environment under Chinese rule. This was in order to protect its staff and ensure their safety.
In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to Chinese control with the promise of broad-ranging individual rights, including a free press. However, pro-democracy activists as well as rights groups claim that freedoms have been reduced since Beijing imposed a new national security law on Hong Kong in 2019.
The Hong Kong authorities refute these claims, and the city’s government denies that it targets the media.
“Regrettably we are unable to achieve this goal fearlessly due to rapid changes in society and worsening media environments. We must first ensure that everyone on the boat is safe during this crisis,” Citizen News, established in 2017, stated in a statement.
Citizen News’ Facebook description states that it is not affiliated with any party and aims to promote Hong Kong’s core values, such as freedom, openness, diversity, and inclusion.
This development comes just days after two former Stand News editors were arrested for conspiring to publish seditious material. Bail was denied following a raid at the offices of the online outlet by around 200 police officers.
Reuters
