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Journalists Daisy Li and Chris Yeung from »Citizen News«: »What has changed is not us, but the external environment«
Photo: BERTHA WANG / AFP
The raids and arrests at »Stand News« at the end of December also sparked fears in the editorial staff of »CitizenNews«.
The government-critical news medium in Hong Kong announced its dissolution just days after this incident.
The online publication announced on Sunday evening (local time) that operations would be completely shut down from January 4th.
The reason for the step was the "deteriorating environment for the media", which is why the safety of your employees can no longer be guaranteed.
“The decision was made at short notice.
The trigger was the fate of Stand News, "said Chris Yeung, chief writer of" CitizenNews "and former president of the Hong Kong Journalists' Association.
»CitizenNews« was founded in 2017 and describes itself as independent, non-partisan and as a promoter of freedom, openness, diversity and inclusion.
The company has 40 employees.
Editor-in-chief Daisy Li said: "What has changed is not us, but the external environment."
In the case of the pro-democratic medium “Stand News”, around 200 security guards had previously searched the editorial offices. According to the latest action by the authorities, there are again fewer independent editorial offices in the former British crown colony. The pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily had already been forcibly discontinued in June after the tabloid was targeted by the authorities for alleged violations of the so-called security law, its founder Jimmy Lai is in prison.
After sustained demonstrations and calls for more democracy in Hong Kong, the communist leadership in Beijing passed a controversial security law a year and a half ago.
The vague wording of the wording of the law facilitates action against activities that China classifies as subversive, separatist, terrorist or conspiratorial - and thus targets critics of the Hong Kong government and the Chinese leadership.
More than 100 activists have been arrested or awaiting trial.
Many have already been convicted.
Many opposition members have fled abroad for fear of prosecution.
apr / dpa / Reuters