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HONG KONG – A Hong Kong on-line information website mentioned Sunday that it could stop operations in gentle of deteriorating press freedoms, days after police raided and arrested seven folks for sedition at a separate pro-democracy information outlet.
Citizen Information introduced its resolution in a Fb put up Sunday. It mentioned it could cease updating its website on January 4, and it could be shuttered after that.
“We now have all the time liked this land, however at current, we’re helpless as we aren’t solely dealing with wind and rain, however tornadoes and big waves,” it mentioned in a press release.
“We now have by no means forgotten our authentic intentions, however it’s a pity that the fast modifications in society previously two years and the deterioration of the media setting have prevented us from attaining our beliefs with out fear.”
Citizen Information is the third information outlet to shut in current months, following pro-democracy newspaper Apple Each day and on-line website Stand Information. Authorities have moved to silent dissent within the semi-autonomous metropolis, as soon as generally known as a hub for vibrant media shops, after Beijing carried out a sweeping nationwide safety legislation following huge pro-democracy protests in 2019.
The approaching closure of Citizen Information got here days after authorities raided Stand Information and arrested seven folks – together with editors and former board members – for allegedly conspiring to publish seditious materials. Stand Information introduced on the identical day that it could stop to function.
Two of Stand Information’ former editors have been later formally charged with sedition.
In December, the opposition was shut out from elections below a brand new legislation that places all candidates to a loyalty take a look at, and monuments commemorating the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Sq. crackdown in Beijing have been taken down.
The US and different Western authorities have condemned diminishing press and civil freedoms that Beijing promised to uphold for 50 years following Hong Kong’s 1997 handover from Britain.
Hong Kong chief Carrie Lam final week defended the raid on Stand Information, telling reporters that “inciting different folks … couldn’t be condoned below the guise of stories reporting.”
Citizen Information introduced its resolution in a Fb put up Sunday. It mentioned it could cease updating its website on January 4, and it could be shuttered after that.
“We now have all the time liked this land, however at current, we’re helpless as we aren’t solely dealing with wind and rain, however tornadoes and big waves,” it mentioned in a press release.
“We now have by no means forgotten our authentic intentions, however it’s a pity that the fast modifications in society previously two years and the deterioration of the media setting have prevented us from attaining our beliefs with out fear.”
Citizen Information is the third information outlet to shut in current months, following pro-democracy newspaper Apple Each day and on-line website Stand Information. Authorities have moved to silent dissent within the semi-autonomous metropolis, as soon as generally known as a hub for vibrant media shops, after Beijing carried out a sweeping nationwide safety legislation following huge pro-democracy protests in 2019.
The approaching closure of Citizen Information got here days after authorities raided Stand Information and arrested seven folks – together with editors and former board members – for allegedly conspiring to publish seditious materials. Stand Information introduced on the identical day that it could stop to function.
Two of Stand Information’ former editors have been later formally charged with sedition.
In December, the opposition was shut out from elections below a brand new legislation that places all candidates to a loyalty take a look at, and monuments commemorating the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Sq. crackdown in Beijing have been taken down.
The US and different Western authorities have condemned diminishing press and civil freedoms that Beijing promised to uphold for 50 years following Hong Kong’s 1997 handover from Britain.
Hong Kong chief Carrie Lam final week defended the raid on Stand Information, telling reporters that “inciting different folks … couldn’t be condoned below the guise of stories reporting.”
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