Press Freedom
CPJ Updates
- Several journalists say US border agents questioned them about migrant coverage
- Pakistani journalist arrested for critical Twitter posts
- Mexico denies entry to at least 2 journalists covering migrant caravan
- Russia investigates reporter, seizes property over allegations of "justifying terrorism"
- CPJ holds presser outside White House, calls on Trump administration to reveal its findings on Khashoggi murder
- #JusticeForJamal campaign culminates with call for administration to respond to Senate inquiry
- Ugandan authorities arrest BBC journalists investigating black market drug sales
- CPJ calls on Jammu and Kashmir police to drop charges against journalist
- Two radio journalists shot and killed in northern Afghanistan
Reporter Without Borders
- Poland: RSF decries criminal libel proceedings against Polish daily
- Call for justice and accountability of state authorities on the anniversary of the murder of Ján Kuciak
- Azerbaijani opposition website editor gets suspended jail sentence
- RSF, CPJ call on Nicaragua to release two journalists held on terrorism charges
- Two journalists arrested on arrival at Cairo airport
- Death threats against Swiss journalist
- Austria’s far-right launches new attack on public broadcaster
- US - #WeeklyAddress: February 11 - February 17: BBC cameraman attacked at Trump rally in El Paso, Texas
Hong Kong Rejects FT Journalist’s Visa
NEW YORK October 5, 2018—The Hong Kong government has triggered a press freedom controversy by refusing to renew the work visa of a veteran Financial Times journalist after he moderated a discussion in August with pro-independence activist Andy Chan Ho-tin at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC).
The Financial Times responded with a statement: “The Hong Kong authorities have rejected an application to renew the work visa of Victor Mallet, Asia news editor at the Financial Times. This is the first time we have encountered this situation in Hong Kong. We have not been given a reason for the rejection.”
The UK government has also registered its concern through a Foreign and Commonwealth Office statement: “Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and its press freedoms are central to its way of life and must be fully respected.”
The Alliance of Hong Kong Media created a petition demanding an explanation from Hong Kong authorities as to why Mallet’s visa was not renewed, “Refusing a visa in this case, to a bona fide journalist working for one of the world’s leading newspapers, sets a terrible precedent for Hong Kong’s reputation as a place where the rule of law applies and where freedom of speech is protected by law…In the absence of any reasonable explanation, we call on the authorities to rescind their decision and allow Mr. Mallet to continue to work for the Financial Times in Hong Kong and serve as FCC First Vice President.”
The Overseas Press Club is an international association of journalists based in New York City that works to encourage the highest standards in journalism, to educate the next generation of foreign correspondents and to promote international press freedom and the well-being of colleagues in the field.