(HKJA/IFEX) – A serious press freedom violation incident took place in Hong Kong on 2 April 2004. The police removed demonstrators who carried out an overnight demonstration outside the Central Government Offices. But before taking action, the police first cleared reporters. Unnecessary force was applied. Two reporters were forcefully taken away. One of them was […]
(HKJA/IFEX) – A serious press freedom violation incident took place in Hong Kong on 2 April 2004. The police removed demonstrators who carried out an overnight demonstration outside the Central Government Offices. But before taking action, the police first cleared reporters. Unnecessary force was applied. Two reporters were forcefully taken away. One of them was slightly injured and received treatment in hospital.
The protest was organised in response to a decision by the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress to “issue interpretation on the Basic Law.” The decision was aimed at dampening Hong Kong citizens’ demands for a directly-elected head of government and legislature in 2007 and 2008.
Three of Hong Kong’s major news workers’ associations – the HKJA, Hong Kong Press Photographers Association and Hong Kong News Executive Association – promptly issued protest statements to condemn the Hong Kong police’s actions as jeopardising freedom of the press and violating people’s right to know.
The HKJA’s Executive Committee wants to bring the incident to the attention of international organisations and calls on them to send protest letters to the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong or issue statements condemning the action to remove reporters.
