Foreign Correspondents' Club Suspends Top Asian Human Rights Awards
In Hong Kong, the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) has suspended its annual Human Rights Press Awards to avoid "unintentionally" violating any laws, according to a statement released on Monday.
The annual awards, which have been handed out for more than 25 years and are among the most prestigious in Asia, have been cancelled following the adoption of the national security law in 2020, which will bring the former British colony into line with the rest of China. Former Washington Post journalist Keith Richburg, who is currently the head of the school of journalism at the University of Hong Kong, said in a statement that the awards had been suspended due to “significant uncertainties and we do not intend to inadvertently violate the law.”
Richburg had earlier explained to the club's press freedom committee that the decision was taken to protect its employees and members from legal risks, according to the minutes of a meeting viewed by Reuters. The minutes outline the possible risks associated with proposed awards for Stand News, an online news portal that was forced to shut down in December after several of its top editors were arrested for publishing seditious articles.
“Keith explains decision ... to suspend the HRPA (Human Rights Press Awards) due to concerns over legal risks to the club, staff, members and judges from awarding four awards and five merits to Stand News,” the email read. Keith further explains that the environment in Hong Kong has changed and the FCC must also change in order to survive.”
A committee of FCC members, including journalists from Reuters Breakingviews, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and others, decided to suspend the awards on Saturday after having already completed the judging process. Shibani Mahtani, Timothy McLaughlin, and Mary Hui all tweeted that they resigned as members of the press freedom committee. "I feel nothing but the deepest regret and do not stand by this decision," wrote Mahtani, who was also a judge for the awards. According to the minutes, five other members of the award committee resigned as well.
In 1997, following the handover from British to Chinese rule, a "one country, two systems" agreement promised Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy and freedoms not seen in mainland China, including freedom of expression and a free press. Some advocacy groups and western governments have expressed concern over an escalation of restrictions on these freedoms, as a crackdown under the national security law has led to the dissolution of civil society groups, the arrest or exile of democratic activists, and the shuttering of media outlets.
A veteran journalist and former contributor to Stand News, Allan Au, was arrested earlier this month for alleged sedition by Hong Kong's national security police. Hong Kong's authorities deny claims that they are restricting freedom of expression.
