A Hong Kong court on Thursday convicted the publisher of The Wall Street Journal of deterring a reporter from taking up a trade union role, a decision that has amplified concerns about press freedom in the city. Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia) Inc. was acquitted, however, of a separate charge related to dismissing the reporter for that union activity.
Principal Magistrate David Cheung found the company guilty of the first charge, but cited insufficient evidence for the second charge.
Selina Cheng, a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal and chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, initiated a private prosecution against Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia) Inc. after her employment ended in July 2024. Cheng stated that her supervisor had informed her that her involvement in union elections was problematic and would be incompatible with her employment. She was reportedly told that management in New York and Dow Jones’ in-house lawyers needed to discuss the issue.
Dow Jones had pleaded not guilty to two charges under the city’s Employment Ordinance, each carrying a maximum fine of 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately $12,750). The first charge alleged the company prevented or deterred Cheng from exercising her union participation rights, while the second alleged the company terminated her employment because she exercised those rights.
During the trial, the defense argued that Cheng's termination was due to redundancy and contended that the prosecution had not sufficiently proven management instructed her supervisor. The defense also accused Cheng of acting in bad faith in a prior hearing.
Sentencing for the conviction is scheduled for a later date. Cheng's dismissal in 2024 drew attention, particularly as foreign news outlets in Hong Kong have historically faced less pressure than local ones.
Hong Kong, once regarded as a hub for press freedom in Asia, has experienced significant changes in its media landscape in recent years. These changes include the closure of news organizations and the prosecution of media executives. Following Beijing's imposition of a national security law in 2020, two local news outlets known for their critical reporting, Apple Daily and Stand News, were compelled to shut down after their senior management was arrested.
Jimmy Lai, the founder of Apple Daily, received a 20-year prison sentence in February, with his staff members receiving sentences ranging from six years and nine months to 10 years. The city, a former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has seen its press freedom rankings decline significantly, now standing at 140th out of 180 countries and territories in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index, a drop from 18th out of 139 regions in 2002.