KEY IDEAS : 1. Journalists protested for freedom of the press. 2. They expressed concern over the threat posed on Hong Kong's broader freedoms. 3. The government said it would not interfere with editorial freedom.
AROUND 6,000 journalists and supporters took to the streets to demand that Chief Executive (行政長官) Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) honour his pre-election pledge to defend the freedom of the press.
Police said only 1,600 people set off from Chater Garden (遮打花園), with around 2,200 at the demonstration's peak outside the chief executive's office. The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA, 香港記者協會) said the march was aimed at highlighting what it believes are attempts to silence the media.
The march was led by HKJA chairwoman Sham Yee-lan (岑倚蘭), commentator Ching Cheong (程翔) and sacked Commercial Radio (商業電台) talk-show host Li Wei-ling (李慧玲).
The Foreign Correspondents' Club, which took part in the demonstration, said it is concerned about what it calls the "creeping encroachment" on press freedom, and the threat this poses to Hong Kong's broader freedoms.
British singer Kashy Keegan, who came to town in October to show support to Hong Kong Television Network (香港電視網絡) staff during the TV licence saga, returned on Saturday and joined the march.
"I have been closely following Hong Kong news and I learned about Ms Li's dismissal, which was bizarre," he said. "The media environment is much more restrictive here compared to my home."
Jenny Ng Pui-ying (伍珮瑩), the consultancy executive who stepped down after criticising the government for refusing to issue a licence to HKTV, made her first public appearance since her resignation.
"If journalists are afraid to speak the truth to keep their jobs, we will eventually lose our core values," she said.
A spokesman said the government would not and could not interfere with the editorial freedom, independent operation and internal management of media organisations.
Meanwhile, Basic Law Committee (基本法委員會) member Lau Naikeung (劉迺強) on Monday accused the HKJA of having double standards and ignoring a complaint he lodged 22 months ago.
Lau said he sent an e-mail to the association on April 16, 2012, accusing the Hong Kong Economic Journal of stopping a column he had been writing for more than 30 years.
However, the HKJA said Lau had failed to provide the required evidence to support his complaint.
(The Standard, Kelly Ip, 24 February, 2014)
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