Economist magazine regrets Hong Kong rejecting its journalist’s visa By Reuters

HONG KONG (Reuters) – The Economist stated on Saturday that Hong Kong declined to resume the visa of 1 its journalists, urging town to take care of overseas media entry as considerations develop about media freedoms within the world monetary hub.

Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor in chief, stated in an announcement the journal was happy with correspondent Sue-Lin Wong’s journalism and regretted the choice by the immigration authorities, which it stated was given with out rationalization.

“We urge the federal government of Hong Kong to take care of entry for the overseas press, which is important to the territory’s standing as a world metropolis,” Beddoes wrote.

The Hong Kong authorities and immigration division didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.

Since Beijing imposed a nationwide safety legislation on Hong Kong final 12 months, democracy activists, newspaper editors and journalists have been arrested. Critics of the laws say it’s getting used to crush dissent within the metropolis – claims the Hong Kong and Beijing authorities reject.

Fears over freedom of the press within the former British colony are rising, months after town’s most vocal pro-democracy newspaper, Apple (NASDAQ:) Every day, was compelled to close after its tycoon proprietor, Jimmy Lai, and different workers have been arrested beneath the nationwide safety legislation.

Australian passport holder Wong, a former Reuters correspondent, wrote on Twitter (NYSE:) from London: “Very unhappy I received’t be capable of proceed reporting from Hong Kong. I beloved attending to know town and its individuals. I’ll miss you all.”

In 2018, the visa of the Monetary Occasions’ Asia editor, Victor Mallet, was not renewed by Hong Kong after he moderated a speech by a pro-independence activist at an occasion hosted by the International Correspondents’ Membership within the metropolis. The transfer alarmed some diplomats and enterprise teams in Hong Kong.

As of April, 628 overseas staff working for abroad media held work visas in Hong Kong, based on the Chinese language overseas ministry.

Hong Kong is assured freedom of speech and the press beneath Article 27 of the Primary Legislation, the mini-constitution agreed by China when it took again management of Hong Kong in 1997.

Hong Kong’s chief Carrie Lam has denied the safety laws would curtail media freedom, saying that “freedom of expression, freedom of protest, freedom of journalism, will keep.”