Radio Free Asia closes its Hong Kong office [content will continue] over safety concerns for its staff after passage of Article 23

[essentialsaltes]

U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia is closing its Hong Kong operation out of concern for the safety of its staff and reporters, a move that comes after Hong Kong enacted a tough new national security law known locally as Article 23.

Radio Free Asia President Bay Fang said in a statement Friday that the outlet's programming and content will continue without disruption.

But, Fang said, actions by Hong Kong authorities, including referring to RFA as a "foreign force," raise serious questions about its ability to operate in safety following the enactment of Article 23.

The city's Beijing-backed legislature passed Article 23 legislation earlier this month and comes atop an already existing national security law that the central government imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. Article 23 refers to the part of Hong Kong's post-handover constitution, the Basic Law, that requires the territory to enact national security legislation.

Hong Kong's most prominent pro-Democracy paper, Apple Daily, shut down in June 2021 after its accounts were frozen and its publisher, Jimmy Lai, arrested. The last pro-Democracy paper, Stand News, closed in December 2021 after it was raided and its leadership arrested.

 

[AlexB23]

U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia is closing its Hong Kong operation out of concern for the safety of its staff and reporters, a move that comes after Hong Kong enacted a tough new national security law known locally as Article 23.

Radio Free Asia President Bay Fang said in a statement Friday that the outlet's programming and content will continue without disruption.

But, Fang said, actions by Hong Kong authorities, including referring to RFA as a "foreign force," raise serious questions about its ability to operate in safety following the enactment of Article 23.

The city's Beijing-backed legislature passed Article 23 legislation earlier this month and comes atop an already existing national security law that the central government imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. Article 23 refers to the part of Hong Kong's post-handover constitution, the Basic Law, that requires the territory to enact national security legislation.

Hong Kong's most prominent pro-Democracy paper, Apple Daily, shut down in June 2021 after its accounts were frozen and its publisher, Jimmy Lai, arrested. The last pro-Democracy paper, Stand News, closed in December 2021 after it was raided and its leadership arrested.

This is scary. Freedoms of speech are being taken away by governments around the world.

Here is a more in depth summary of the NPR article, mentioning the US secretary of state Anthony Blinken, for those who are interested:

The article, published by John Ruwitch and Michele Kelemen on March 30th, 2024, reports on the closure of Radio Free Asia (RFA) in Hong Kong due to safety concerns for staff and reporters following the enactment of a new national security law, known locally as Article 23. RFA is a U.S.-government funded broadcaster that has been operating in Hong Kong since 1996 and claims editorial independence. The article notes that this move comes after the closure of other pro-democracy media outlets, such as Apple Daily and Stand News, in Hong Kong.

Article 23 refers to the part of Hong Kong's post-handover constitution that requires the territory to enact national security legislation. This new law adds to existing measures imposed by China in 2020 and has a broad definition of state secrets and language targeting external forces. The authors also mention that the U.S. State Department imposed visa bans on some Hong Kong officials due to the crackdown on freedoms in response to China's actions.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused China of eliminating dissent inside Hong Kong and using the new law against critics abroad as part of what he called China's transnational repression. In response, the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., criticized the U.S. for interfering in Hong Kong affairs and internal Chinese matters, arguing that the new national security law ensures rights, freedoms, and economic growth.

The news article highlights the ongoing tension between China and the U.S. regarding Hong Kong's autonomy and the crackdown on freedoms in the territory. The closure of RFA from Hong Kong is an additional development that demonstrates the increasingly challenging environment for media outlets and dissenting voices in the region.

 

[Nithavela]

Not many free places left in Asia.

 

[weekEd]

Chinese policy is the family is the nucleus of society, not sure how dez folks say it here...

 

[AlexB23]

Not many free places left in Asia.

Agreed, hence why Asia will most likely never be on my travel plans. Except, maybe South Korea or something. There is an index that ranks the countries that are the most free, and most of the dozens of so countries inside Europe and North America combined are much more free compared to the 48 countries inside Asia.

Here is a chart showing the Freedom Indices of multiple countries. Dark blue = more free, while yellow = less free: Freedom Index by Country 2024

 

[weekEd]

have a famliy it is in their gov't mandate, it is gov't policy...
not sure how oppressive that has to be...

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia is closing its Hong Kong operation out of concern for the safety of its staff and reporters, a move that comes after Hong Kong enacted a tough new national security law known locally as Article 23.

Radio Free Asia President Bay Fang said in a statement Friday that the outlet's programming and content will continue without disruption.

But, Fang said, actions by Hong Kong authorities, including referring to RFA as a "foreign force," raise serious questions about its ability to operate in safety following the enactment of Article 23.

The city's Beijing-backed legislature passed Article 23 legislation earlier this month and comes atop an already existing national security law that the central government imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. Article 23 refers to the part of Hong Kong's post-handover constitution, the Basic Law, that requires the territory to enact national security legislation.

Hong Kong's most prominent pro-Democracy paper, Apple Daily, shut down in June 2021 after its accounts were frozen and its publisher, Jimmy Lai, arrested. The last pro-Democracy paper, Stand News, closed in December 2021 after it was raided and its leadership arrested.

Curious if @Estrid has any relevant insights on this?

 

[Estrid]

Curious if @Estrid has any relevant insights on this?

Many thoughts come to mind, about my
home, the changes, the USA and my time
there, on the nature of freedom, the duty
and perils of civil disobedience.

A few...China's history has involved enormous
societal chaos, death and destruction. Two
civil wars 200 times the reach toll of the american
war. Invasions...order and stability is so important.

Sometimes the measures are excessive. The USA
hs it's examples.

The nature of freedom. The USA is proud of freedom
though how much of what kind and to what end seems
little considered in realistic contrast to other societies
with different freedoms and restrictions.

Regarding the USA from here we may legitimately
ask of what use is your freedom and democracy that
brings you to a 30 trillion dollar debt. And two such
tragi- comic figures for highest office contenders?

Back to HK, article 23 and such. The changes Beijing has
imposed have no apparent effect on the average person.
Few who have who know HK would return to see a difference.

There's far more to say but-