Hong Kong Police Arrest Journalist, Sparking Press Freedom Concerns
An online news outlet founder was detained under a new national security law, with rights groups calling for transparency.
Hong Kong police arrested Tang Ho-wing, founder of the online news outlet Boom News, on suspicion of incitement by spreading disinformation, local media reported Wednesday. The arrest has intensified concerns over the city's diminishing press freedom.
Multiple news outlets, including Sing Tao and the South China Morning Post, cited anonymous sources in reporting Tang's morning arrest. A photograph circulating online appeared to show officers escorting him away.
Police confirmed late Wednesday that a man and a woman were arrested for alleged seditious acts, an offense under Hong Kong's homegrown national security law enacted in 2024. While the individuals were not identified by police, the South China Morning Post reported the woman to be activist Lee Ying-chi.
Authorities stated that individuals were observed holding flowers and chanting slogans outside a subway station on August 31. Police allege these individuals spread disinformation, used lies to attack the government, and smeared law enforcement with the intent to incite hatred. The exact actions by Tang and Lee leading to their arrests were not specified, and police indicated the pair remained under investigation.
This latest detention follows previous arrests of six other individuals for similar alleged offenses, all of whom have since been released on bail. The August 31 incident referenced by police is an event that occurred during anti-government protests in 2019, which some protesters at the time believed resulted in deaths, a claim authorities have denied.
Boom News, which has a significant following on Instagram, covers a variety of Hong Kong's political and social issues. A video posted by the outlet on August 31 questioned whether fatalities occurred on that date seven years prior and reported police detaining at least two individuals.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed deep concern, noting Tang's detention as the first publicly known arrest of a journalist for alleged sedition under the 2024 law. The association highlighted that live broadcasts are intended to report unfolding events and urged police to provide specific details of the alleged violations and clarify if the arrest was directly related to Tang's journalistic work.
Journalists in Hong Kong have faced a significantly restricted operating environment since the enactment of a Beijing-imposed national security law in 2020, followed by the 2024 security law. Authorities maintain these laws are essential for the city's stability. In 2021, two prominent news outlets, Apple Daily and Stand News, ceased operations after their senior management were arrested. Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February, with his staff receiving sentences ranging from six years and nine months to 10 years.
The Hong Kong government has previously stated that Lai's case is unrelated to press freedom and that while press freedom is protected, it is not absolute. Hong Kong's ranking on the World Press Freedom Index has declined significantly, from 18th out of 139 regions in 2002 to 140th out of 180 countries and territories in the latest report.