Pro-democracy online news site prepares for possible CCP withdrawal


Hong Kong’s pro-democracy online media, Stand News, announced five measures to protect its employees, donors, readers and board members in the event that action is taken against it by the Communist Party of China (CCP ) on June 27.

The outlet pledged to continue reporting and urged its supporters to donate to other independent media, free journalists and commentators, and news organizations that support freedom of speech and the press. .

It is the first pro-democracy Hong Kong outlet to announce internal changes after the Chinese regime cracked down on Apple Daily, a pro-democracy outlet and one of Hong Kong’s three best-selling newspapers in June.

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Stand News on Sunday evening announced five steps it would take to respond to the “literary inquisition that has been applied to Hong Kong” and in the event that the publication “encounters a fatal disaster” such as that suffered by Apple Daily.

Hong Kong Stand News publishes an announcement to prepare for a possible government crackdown in Hong Kong on June 27, 2021 (thestandnews.com/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

The first action would be to remove all opinion pieces and comments from the website and repost them once the authors confirm with the outlet that they accept the risk.

Second, stopping receiving more donations and suspending subscriptions. The outlet said its current savings can support the operation of the website for nine to twelve months.

Third, urge supporters to donate to other independent media, as “Hong Kong media companies need the support of all donors in this time of great change.”

Fourth, the outlet would end all employment contracts with its employees who had worked for the outlet for more than six months in May. The outlet signed press contracts with employees who would accept risks, such as being arrested by the regime.

The fifth action would be to dismiss six members of the board of directors: Yu Ka-fai, Chow Tat-chi, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, Denise Ho Wan-si, Fong Man-sun and Joseph Lian Yi-zheng. The other two board members, Tony Tsoi Tung-ho and Chung Pui-kuen, are said to continue to work with the media.

The Stand News promised in the ad that it “will walk with Hong Kong people, be encouraged by the kindness of all donors and readers, report the news well, write Hong Kong history and record Hong Kong history. “.

The Stand News was founded by Tony Tsoi Tung-ho in December 2014, as the pro-democracy umbrella movement was coming to an end. The media’s reports focus on pro-democracy and anti-communist news from Hong Kong. Its stated objective is “To declare our position; stand up, do not hide; do not avoid or evade; insist on reporting the truth.

In 2019, Stand News was ranked # 1 in credibility among online news media in Hong Kong in a survey conducted by Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Vintage photo
Police set up a cordon line outside Apple Daily’s headquarters in Hong Kong on June 17, 2021 (Kin Cheung, File / AP Photo)

Apple Daily

On June 30, 2020, the CCP legislature passed its controversial Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL).

The next day, more than 350 people were reportedly arrested by police for shouting the pro-democracy slogan “free Hong Kong, revolution of our time” or for having in their possession the flag of “Hong Kong independence”.

Since then, the Hong Kong regime has used the NSL to detain pro-democracy activists in the city. The Apple Daily incident is the first time the regime has used the law to eliminate independent media.

On June 17, Hong Kong police raided Apple Daily headquarters and arrested five of the newspaper’s directors, including its editor. Police claimed the tabloid violated the NSL over the publication of more than 30 articles since 2019 calling on foreign countries to impose sanctions on the Chinese regime and the Hong Kong government.

On the same day, the Hong Kong Security Bureau froze the assets of Apple Daily, worth around HK $ 18 million ($ 2.32 million).

This series of actions directly led to the death of the newspaper, which announced on June 23 that the June 24 edition would be its last.

According to the South China Morning Post, on June 27, Fung Wai-kong, 57, the English-language columnist for Apply Daily, was arrested at Hong Kong airport before he could board his flight out of the city. The regime claimed that Fung had violated the NSL.