Global Watch | China’s war on journalism: Largest prison for journalists in the world

Recently, an international NGO focused on safeguarding the right to freedom of information released its Freedom of Press Index. As per the report China is the largest prison for journalists in the world, with about 121 journalists facing detention in China as of 2023. Media freedom in China, moreover, comes under the category of “very serious situation”, standing at 179^th position out of 180 countries, according to 2023 index. The communist country, known for its autocratic system of rule, controls (and funds) most of its media, which functions as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s mouthpiece and spreads propaganda to ensure the pro-government narrative is inculcated among Chinese citizens. Needless to say, media is under strict state surveillance and censorship, whereby journalists found to report on information deemed by the CCP to be ‘sensitive’ face censorship, harassment, coercion and intimidation.The level of media scrutiny and repression has intensified with Xi Jinping assuming leadership in 2012, paving the way to a culture of fear whereby free access to information is prohibited and reporting of information critical of Beijing’s narrative is considered as a crime. For journalists to have their press card renewed, they are required to download ‘Study Xi, Strengthen the Country’, a propaganda application that also collects user’s personal data. With the heightened prioritising of national security, attack on journalists, of both national and international media outlets witnessed since 2012, are justified by Beijing’s authorities. These journalists, before being formally arrested, face prolonged detention whereby they face torture such as solitary confinement. Journalists reporting on sensitive issues, or journalists belonging to minority groups such as Uyghurs, are subjected to imprisonment and harsher punishments on charges of ‘espionage’, ‘subversion’, ‘provoking trouble and threatening national security’.Hong Kong, a former British colony, used to be the hub of vibrant and independent journalism for both national and international media outlets until its handover to China in 1997. Since then, most media outlets came under Chinese government control that has only tightened its grip over the years. Media in Hong Kong gradually became part of two different groups—pro-establishment/ pro-China and pro-democracy/ independent with international media outlets majorly falling in the latter category. An extradition bill imposed on Hong Kong by the Chinese government sparked major protests (known as democracy protests) in the region in June 2019 which eventually took the shape of violent unrest.The bill believed to risk Hong Kong’s residents’, particularly journalists, activists lawyers and human rights defenders, exposure to justice system of mainland China, was later withdrawn in the face of protests. However, just a few months after the protests started, Beijing imposed a new ‘draconian’ National Security Law (NSL) that came into effect in Hong Kong in June 2020 deemed as “necessary to secure the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong”, essentially eradicating Hong Kong’s semi-autonomy as a region. Since the imposition of NSL, Hong Kong’s only public broadcaster—Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), founded in 1928 and known for its fearless investigation and editorial independence, was placed under pro-Chinese government management leading to senior staff quitting and sacking a renowned journalist who criticized CCP policies. RTHK now censors any programmes that is critical of China. The law, applicable to both permanent as well as non-permanent Hong Kong residents and even those outside the region, is said to target activities deemed criminal such as subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and with severe penalties such as life imprisonment. Like many Chinese legislations, the devil is in its ambiguous framing as to what constitutes violation of the law, a perfect tool to implement state hegemony over dissidents.One of the main targets of China’s attempt at aggressive control over Hong Kong is the region’s journalists and media, that has seen a drastic shift since the 2019 protests. A look at Reporters Without Border’s reports on Hong Kong’s Freedom of Press Index since the 2019 protests reveals shocking data of its steep decline under CCP regime.[caption id="attachment_13600382" align="alignnone" width="386"]

Source: Reporters Without Borders[/caption]It would be wrong to assume that this is a recent phenomenon. Hong Kong’s press freedom decline coupled with the targeting of journalists by Chinese authorities has been ongoing since its taking over of the region in 1997. The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), in its annual reports, has been vocal about Hong Kong’s traditional media under rising censorship (and self-censorship), control and pressure to comply with Beijing and pro-Chinese factions, and the simultaneous attacks on journalists since 2014, noting that Hong Kong’s Freedom of Press has been in free fall since 1997. The 2019 protests, however, witnessed the violence against journalists in Hong Kong turning into a systemic attempt to discourage reporting on the protests. The arrest of journalist Choy Yuk-ling for reporting on alleged police misconduct in the 2019 protest or journalist Tang Cheuk-yu’s arrest and being sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment under charge of “possession of offensive weapons” while covering news of one of the protests, are among the many cases of deliberate attempt at media suppression to discourage journalists from reporting on protests.The situation took a turn for the worse in 2021 when Hong Kong’s two major independent (and pro-democracy) news outlets, Apple Daily and Stand News, were forced to shut down and cease its operations, followed by police raids at their offices, seizure of assets and arrests of some of their journalists, a major assault on the region’s media freedom. Patrick Lam, Stand News chief editor and Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily, among other staff, were also arrested under colonial-era sedition and “endangering national security” charges, while the raids and asset seize were carried out under the new National Security Law. Even more local independent media outlets such as Citizen’s News and Mad Dog Daily took the decision to close down facing a deteriorating environment of media freedom in the region that has increased safety concerns for journalists and reporters. This year also saw a new wave of attacks on journalists via arrests and prolonged detention under the new national security crimes.It is because of Beijing-backed systemic targeting of media outlets and journalists that a recent study revealed the growing exodus of journalists from Hong Kong or those associated with Hong Kong media. Over 1,000 journalists are reported to have lost their jobs as a result of the media crackdown. It is now recognised worldwide that China has violated international norms in its dealing with Hong Kong, and further resorted to repressive measures to withhold right to information worldwide and media freedom needed for effective journalism, completely turning Hong Kong’s once vibrant media environment into a degrading state of journalism that is supposed to only follow and report Beijing’s narrative. According to a survey by Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) in 2021, 84 per cent said that the situation of general working environment for journalists had deteriorated since the introduction of the National Security Law. Systemically, and forcefully, Beijing is wholeheartedly attempting to implement its ‘one China’ policy by extending its ruthless justice system to Hong Kong, through its onslaught on journalists and media outlets. With Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai’s trail ongoing, the whole world is watching the fate of journalism (and democracy) in Hong Kong.The writer is an author and columnist and has written several books. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflectFirstpost’s views.Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.