Hong Kong editor Chung Pui-kuen is charged with conspiracy to publish seditious material. Police arrested him on December 29, 2021, along with several colleagues from Stand News, the independent pro-democracy website where he had recently resigned as editor-in-chief. The arrests put the site out of business.
Stand News operated as a nonprofit with private funding from Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited, a media company. Police arrested six people in a workplace raid, including Patrick Lam, the acting chief editor, Chow Tai-chi, chief science editor and former director, Ronson Chan, a deputy assignment editor, and two former board members, activist singer Denise Ho and lawyer Margaret Ng.
Chung and Lam were denied bail and later charged in relation to 17 articles and 3 videos, according to independent court news website The Witness. They face fines of up to $5,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$644) and up to two years in jail for a first offense, or three for subsequent offenses, according to Hong Kong’s Crimes Ordinance. The other four detainees were released on bail after one night. On November 7, 2022, Lam was also released on bail.
CPJ emailed the Hong Kong Police Force requesting comment in September 2022 but did not receive a response.