Radio Free Asia Pulls Out of Hong Kong Amid National Security Law Fears

Radio Free Asia (RFA) has announced the closure of its bureau in Hong Kong due to concerns about staff safety following the enactment of the new local national security law known as Article 23. The U.S.-funded media outlet, which has operated in Hong Kong since 1996, cited actions by Hong Kong authorities, including labeling RFA as a "foreign force," as raising serious questions about its ability to operate safely.

While RFA will maintain its official media registration, it has closed its physical bureau in Hong Kong and no longer employs full-time staff in the city. It remains unclear how many employees are affected or if they will be relocated elsewhere.

The Article 23 law, also known as the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, was enacted on March 23 to address crimes such as treason, sedition, state secrets, and external interference. The law, which supplements a broader national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, carries severe penalties, including life imprisonment.

Critics argue that the Article 23 law, along with Beijing's national security law, is contributing to the erosion of civil liberties in Hong Kong. The U.S. has strongly criticized the law, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken announcing new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials in connection with the crackdown on dissent.

Hong Kong has seen a decline in press freedom in recent years, with pro-democracy news outlets forcibly shut down or forced to relocate. Foreign news outlets like RFA and Voice of America have faced accusations of being "anti-China" by pro-Beijing newspapers.