Stand News folds, seven arrested in NSL probe

Stand News on Wednesday announced it had shut down all operations and sacked all staff, hours after seven people linked to the online media outlet were arrested on sedition-related offences.

Police said investigations were continuing into whether news articles and opinion pieces published by the group had breached various elements of the national security law, including colluding with foreign forces and promoting Hong Kong independence.

The force also froze company assets worth HK$61 million under powers granted under the national security law, and would look into the source of the company’s funding.

Police did not name those arrested, but say all were current or former editors with Stand News, along with former board members who it said all played “important roles” in shaping the outlet’s editorial policies.

RTHK understands those arrested are the former and acting editors-in-chief of Stand News, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, four former board members – singer Denise Ho, barrister Margaret Ng, Christine Fang and Chow Tat-chi – and former Apple Daily executive Chan Pui-man, a former contributor.

And police sources said the founder of Stand News, Tony Tsoi, is wanted over the case.

Steve Li, senior superintendent of the force’s national security department, told a news conference that the alleged offences, which took place between July 2020 and November 2021, involved numerous news articles and online posts said to be aimed at inciting hatred and spreading discontent.

He said some of the allegations made in these articles were unfounded, and further accused the group of allowing “fugitives” to call on foreign countries to impose sanctions against China and Hong Kong and promote independence for the SAR, which are violations of the national security law.

Li also said investigators would determine if the opening of a Stand News office in the UK violates laws against colluding with foreign forces.

However, the officer dismissed suggestions that the arrests undermine human rights or freedom of the press in any way.

Asked how other journalists could avoid national security violations, he turned the question back to reporters at the briefing.

“Don’t be biased. You know well how to report, how to be a responsible reporter, how to make a non-biased report to your readers,” he said. “We are not targeting the reporters, the media but national security offences.”

Speaking at a separate event, Chief Secretary John Lee warned that there would be “zero tolerance” for anyone abusing the power of the media to endanger national security.

“They are the evil elements that damage press freedom,” he said.

“Professional media workers should recognise that these are the bad apples who are abusing their position simply by wearing a false coat of ‘media worker’ and then using that position [to] abuse news as a tool to pursue their own purposes. They will pollute press freedom,” Lee added.

Stand News, which was set up after the Umbrella Movement in 2014, announced in a social media post that it would cease all operations immediately and lay off all its staff.

It said it had stopped updating its website and social media, and all content will be removed within days.

The outlet said it is providing support for staff involved with the police investigation, and thanked its readers for their support.

It’s the second major media outlet to shut down this year, after Apple Daily.
______________________________
Last updated: 2021-12-29 HKT 21:48