A Hong Kong court yesterday dismissed an appeal by the former head of the city’s largest press union against a conviction for obstructing police officers, issuing a five-day jail sentence.
Former Hong Kong Journalists Association chairman Ronson Chan (陳朗昇) had been arrested by police, who said he refused to show his ID and was “uncooperative” when stopped by two plainclothes officers in 2022 on his way to report.
Hong Kong police have broad stop-and-search powers, and residents have limited legal recourse to object to an ID check.
Photo: AFP
Chan “was reckless and obstructed other members of the public… affecting public order,” a judge wrote in a 2023 verdict.
Hong Kong Deputy High Court Judge Lily Wong upheld the conviction yesterday, sentencing the 45-year-old journalist to jail for five days immediately.
The association in a statement said it was concerned about the conviction’s impact on journalism, potentially exposing media workers “to additional legal risks when covering events.”
Chan’s lawyer Steven Kwan told reporters they would consider appealing.
Before entering the courtroom, Chan, who was wearing a black shirt with the words “Press Freedom” on it, told reporters that he was feeling anxious and had prepared mentally for imprisonment.
“I personally believe that Hong Kong enjoys freedom of the press under the Basic Law, yet time and again, in practice, I have seen that the status of press freedom is truly very low,” Chan said, referring to the city’s mini-constitution. “I hope I’m the last person to get into legal trouble for these reasons when conducting interviews.”
Committee to Protect Journalists Asia-Pacific Director Beh Lih Yi said that Chan’s jailing “on frivolous and preposterous charges of obstructing police is simply intimidation tactics to silence reporting.”
Journalists “should not be obstructed from doing their work,” she added.