JOINT STATEMENT BY HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION AND HONG KONG PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION: strongly condemn police officers for deliberately showing reporters’ IDs in front of the camera, and asks the Privacy Commissioner to intervene in the investigation and follow up

Police have been suppressing journalists in the past six months.  There is a new case today.  A person who claimed to be a plainclothes police officer intercepted a reporter in Tai Po without a police warrant card. He deliberately displayed the reporter ’s Legislative Council press card, HKJA press card, and even his ID card for dozens of seconds in front of the live camera, causing the reporter ’s privacy to be leaked. HKJA strongly condemns the police and asks the Privacy Commissioner to intervene in the investigation and follow up seriously. If any intentional violation is found, consideration should be given to prosecuting the offender.

 

According to the “Stand News” report, the reporter of this newspaper questioned a person holding a baton for plainclothes police in Tai Po Mega Mall this afternoon, then that person and riot police quarrelled with the reporter, they abused the reporter and required him to show his ID. During the interception, police officers in plainclothes showed the reporter ’s Legislative Council press card, HKJA press card and ID card in front of the live camera. Later, they deliberately placed the ID card in front of the camera and revealed the reporter ’s personal information.

 

Chung Pui-kuen, the chief editor of Stand News, said that he would assist reporters in making a formal complaint and ask the police to provide the names and numbers of the masked police officers involved.

 

The two association pointed out that the “Police General Regulations” stated that police officers must cooperate with the media as much as possible with mutual understanding and mutual accommodation, and should not hinder the media’s work. The police’s disclosure of personal information such as the reporter ’s ID card is tantamount to “doxxing”. As Chief Executive pointed out earlier, there is only one purpose of “doxxing”, which is to eliminate the voice of others. At present, the behaviour of some frontline police officers at the scene of the conflict is out of control. The police must correct it as soon as possible and stop all acts that stifle freedom of the press.

Hong Kong Journalists Association
Hong Kong Press Photographers Association

26 December 2019

Hong Kong Journalists Association strongly condemns the police blockade of the conflict site and hinder news gathering, seriously harming press freedom
HKJA strongly condemns police officers for abusing, attacking and expelling journalists, severely damaging press freedom