17 Jul 2024獨媒#3821
Public libraries restore some “withdrawn books”; libraries say no problems found after detailed review
多間傳媒去年5月報導，多本涉本港政制、社運或六四事件的書籍被公共圖書館下架，部分作者更是所有書籍遭下架，做法遭批評「過火」。《獨媒》近日發現，公共圖書館已將部分曾下架書籍重新上架，包括資深傳媒人區家麟的旅遊書《潮池 : 浪遊二十國度的故事》、大律師吳靄儀的散文集、前立法會議員鄺俊宇的愛情散文等等。大部分重新上架書籍，都不涉政治題材；至於上述作者涉及政治、社運、新聞審查等題材的著作，則未有重新上架。
Several media outlets reported last May that a number of books concerning Hong Kong’s political system, social movements or the June Fourth incident had been withdrawn from public libraries. Some authors had all their books removed, prompting criticism that the move had gone “too far”. InMedia recently found that public libraries had put some of the previously withdrawn books back on the shelves, including veteran journalist Au Ka-lun’s travel book *Tide Pool: Stories of Roaming Through Twenty Countries*, barrister Audrey Eu’s collection of essays, and former Legislative Council member Kwong Chun-yu’s love essays. Most of the books restored did not concern political subjects. Works by the above authors concerning politics, social movements, news censorship and other such topics have not been restored.
17 Jul 2024集誌社#3822
HKJA chair sacked | Cheng Ka-yu accuses The Wall Street Journal of unfair dismissal: “It said press freedom should not be promoted in Hong Kong”
香港記者協會執委本月換屆，由《華爾街日報》記者鄭嘉如當選主席，接替已擔任三年主席的陳朗昇。今（17日）早，鄭嘉如被《華爾街日報》辭退。她指在記協選舉前夕，上司已要求她退出記協，理由是「《華爾街日報》員工，唔應喺香港呢類地方，推動新聞自由」等。她指，自己因參與工會遭解僱，《華爾街日報》或違反《僱傭條例》阻礙員工成為工會成員，考慮提出申訴。記協換屆後，風浪不斷，一個月內，12人執委會中，已有四人辭職。
The Hong Kong Journalists Association’s executive committee held its election this month, with The Wall Street Journal reporter Cheng Ka-yu elected chair, succeeding Chan Long-sing, who had served as chair for three years. This morning (17th), Cheng was dismissed by The Wall Street Journal. She said that shortly before the HKJA election, her supervisor had asked her to withdraw from the association, saying, among other things, that “employees of The Wall Street Journal should not promote press freedom in a place like Hong Kong.” She said she was dismissed for participating in a trade union and that The Wall Street Journal might have breached the Employment Ordinance by obstructing an employee from becoming a trade union member. She is considering filing a complaint. Turmoil has continued following the HKJA leadership change: within one month, four of the 12 executive committee members have resigned.
11 Jul 2024獨媒#3806
Breakazine to cease publication next April; editorial team says operations have long been difficult
《Breakazine 突破書誌》今日宣布將在明年4月停刊，編輯團隊指近年製作成本不斷飆升，加上讀者閱讀方式等外在環境轉變，經營一直困難，「深感需要空間再作部署」。
已有15年歷史的《Breakazine突破書誌》，由非牟利基督教青年及非政府資助青少年服務機構「突破機構」出版。《Breakazine突破書誌》今午在社交網站，以「惜別‧探索‧重新想像」為題發文，指編輯團隊經過反覆思量，「深感需要空間再作部署」，擬定在明年4月後停止出版。
Breakazine 突破書誌 announced today that it will cease publication next April. The editorial team said production costs had continued to rise in recent years, while changes in the external environment, including the ways readers consume content, had also made operations consistently difficult, adding that it “deeply felt the need for space to make further arrangements.”
Breakazine 突破書誌, which has a 15-year history, is published by Breakthrough, a non-profit Christian youth and youth-service organisation that receives no government funding. Breakazine 突破書誌 posted on social media this afternoon under the heading “Farewell · Exploration · Reimagining”, saying that after repeated deliberation, the editorial team “deeply felt the need for space to make further arrangements” and planned to stop publication after next April.
25 Jun 2024明報#3731
Peggy Suk Fun Cheung Says Book Fair Exhibitors Must Comply with National Security Law and Article 23 Law; Does Not Directly Respond on Whether Books Will Be Vetted
第34屆香港書展將於7月17至23日在灣仔會展舉行，連同同期的「香港運動消閒博覽」及「零食世界」，3項活動有來自逾30個國家及地區的約760間展商參與，與往年相若。香港貿發局副總裁張淑芬今日（25日）介紹活動時，主動提及參展商需要遵守香港法例，包括《港區國安法》及《維護國家安全條例》。她其後被多次問及會否審查書籍及設立禁書名單，但均未正面回應，只稱規定「好簡單」；又以淫褻物品受規管比喻，指參展商對一眾規定表示理解。
The 34th Hong Kong Book Fair will be held at the Wan Chai Convention and Exhibition Centre from July 17 to 23. Alongside the Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and World of Snacks, the three events will feature about 760 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions, roughly the same as in previous years. At a briefing on the events today (25th), Hong Kong Trade Development Council Vice-President Peggy Suk Fun Cheung proactively said exhibitors must comply with Hong Kong laws, including the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. She was subsequently asked several times whether books would be vetted and whether a list of banned books would be established, but did not respond directly. She only said the requirements were “very simple”, and, comparing them with the regulation of obscene articles, said exhibitors understood all the requirements.
22 Jun 2024獨媒#3721
Hong Kong Journalists Association Election: Chris Tang Says Some “Take US Money”; Chan Long-sang Hopes He Returns to Professional Security Affairs
香港記者協會今日舉行周年會員大會，《華爾街日報》記者鄭嘉如當選主席。兩名理事候選人在開票前欲退選，惟因無相關機制，故他們當選後即提出請辭。保安局局長鄧炳強昨日表示，記協換屆候選人名單「最初睇落以為係外國記者協會」，指大部份人在外媒工作，所屬機構涉「收美國錢」。即將卸任記協主席的陳朗昇會後見記者，指世上不少機構雖然獲政府撥款，但不代表他們必然支持政府，包括英國的BBC，「BBC記者係咪個個都支持辛偉誠同保守黨？我諗個個都知，係唔會啦，亦都知道呢個係一個 common sense。」他指鄧炳強多次指記協沒有認受性，可見他不了解業界，望他回歸其專業保安事務。
The Hong Kong Journalists Association held its annual general meeting today, with Wall Street Journal reporter Cheng Ka-yu elected chairperson. Two candidates for executive committee seats sought to withdraw before the vote count, but because there was no mechanism for doing so, they resigned immediately after being elected. Secretary for Security Chris Tang said yesterday that the list of candidates for the association’s election “initially looked like a foreign journalists’ association,” noting that most worked for foreign media and that the organisations they belonged to were involved in “taking US money.” Chan Long-sang, the outgoing chairperson, told reporters after the meeting that many organisations around the world receive government funding, but that this does not mean they necessarily support the government, citing the BBC in the United Kingdom: “Do all BBC journalists support Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party? I think everyone knows they don’t, and also knows this is common sense.” He said Tang’s repeated claims that the association lacked legitimacy showed that he did not understand the industry, and hoped Tang would return to his professional security affairs.
21 Jun 2024獨媒#3716
Government accuses RFA of hyping smart ID card replacement into a conspiracy to suppress Hong Kong people; Tang says he understands why it withdrew: ‘They intended to break the law’
今年2月被點名批評後撤出香港的自由亞洲電台（RFA），昨（20日）發布一篇題為〈港府「威嚇」港人盡快回港換身分證 海外港人不換會有後果麼？〉的報導。政府今日傍晚發新聞稿，點名批評RFA惡意曲解政府的政策和措施，將呼籲市民盡快換領智能身份證，「炒作成所謂打壓港人的陰謀」。保安局局長鄧炳強傍晚出席一個會議後，批 RFA 扭曲事實，企圖煽動市民對政府的不信任和憎恨，斥 RFA「披媒體外衣」，實質是危害國家和香港安全，並稱「終於明白」RFA 撤出香港的原因，「就係佢哋有犯法意圖，認為留喺香港就會犯法，所以呢，就要離開。」
Radio Free Asia (RFA), which withdrew from Hong Kong after being named and criticised in February this year, published a report yesterday (20th) titled “Hong Kong government ‘threatens’ Hongkongers to return and replace their identity cards as soon as possible—what are the consequences if overseas Hongkongers do not replace them?” The government issued a press release this evening, accusing RFA of maliciously distorting the government’s policies and measures and turning its call for citizens to replace their smart identity cards as soon as possible into “a so-called conspiracy to suppress Hong Kong people”. After attending a meeting this evening, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung criticised RFA for distorting the facts and attempting to incite distrust and hatred of the government among the public. He condemned RFA as “wearing the cloak of the media” while actually endangering national security and Hong Kong’s security, and said he “finally understood” why RFA withdrew from Hong Kong: “They intended to break the law and believed that staying in Hong Kong would mean breaking the law, so they had to leave.”
21 Jun 2024獨媒#3719
Members Receive Unidentified Messages Saying AGM Is Being Monitored; “Keep Your Distance” — HKJA: No Such Information Received
香港記者協會將於明（22日）舉行執委會換屆選舉，記協指有會員今日收到不明來歷的WhatsApp訊息，指明日的周年會員大會「可能遭受執法機關的監視」，提醒接收者與會議保持距離。記協表示，沒有收到有關消息，認為根據條例訂明舉行的周年大會不涉及任何法律風險，希望會員明天依時出席。
The Hong Kong Journalists Association will hold its election for a new Executive Committee tomorrow (22nd). The association said some members received messages from an unidentified source today claiming that tomorrow’s annual general meeting “may be subject to surveillance by law enforcement agencies” and advising recipients to keep their distance from the meeting. The association said it had received no such information and believed the annual general meeting, held as provided for under the ordinance, involved no legal risks. It hoped members would attend on time tomorrow.
12 Jun 2024法庭線#3679
Jonathan Sumption tells BBC 47-person case was the “last straw” in decision to resign; denies discussing politics
英國最高法院前法官岑耀信（Jonathan Sumption）提早辭任香港終審法院海外非常任法官後，周一在《金融時報》撰文指「香港法治岌岌可危」。他周二再接受《BBC》訪問，指 47 人案是他決定辭任的「最後一根稻草」。
主持提及特首李家超「非常強烈反應」，包括指法官的專業不在政治。岑耀信指，他並非談論政治，而是認為香港的情況變得越來越昏暗，續指 47 人案的裁決，反映有法官願意確保北京針對支持民主人士的行動成功，形容「非常不幸」。
港府日前以長文回應岑耀信的文章，指極不同意他的意見，指法院「絕對沒有受到中央或特區政府的任何政治壓力，香港法治亦無任何倒退」。特首李家超稱，對香港法官「被同事背棄」感遺憾。終院首席法官張舉能指，嚴重指控「必須理據具體且充分，絕不應輕率作出」。
After resigning early as an overseas non-permanent judge of Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, former UK Supreme Court justice Jonathan Sumption wrote in the Financial Times on Monday that the rule of law in Hong Kong was “in grave peril”. He told the BBC in an interview on Tuesday that the 47-person case was the “last straw” in his decision to resign.
The interviewer referred to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s “very strong reaction”, including his statement that judges’ professionalism was not about politics. Sumption said he was not discussing politics, but believed the situation in Hong Kong had become increasingly bleak. He added that the verdict in the 47-person case showed that some judges were willing to ensure the success of Beijing’s actions against pro-democracy figures, describing this as “very unfortunate”.
The Hong Kong government responded to Sumption’s article in a lengthy statement several days ago, saying it strongly disagreed with his views and that the courts had “absolutely not been subject to any political pressure from the Central or HKSAR governments”, while the rule of law in Hong Kong had not regressed in any way. Chief Executive John Lee said he regretted that Hong Kong judges had been “betrayed by their colleagues”. Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung said serious allegations “must be supported by specific and sufficient reasons and should never be made lightly”.
6 Jun 2024集誌社#3656
June 4 35｜Chan Long-sing’s Reporting Obstructed as HKJA and Police Trade Accusations; Sequence of Events Reconstructed
《Channel C》多媒體製作主任、香港記者協會主席陳朗昇在六四當晚，被現場警員指「衝擊警方防線」。記協發聲明「嚴正譴責」警方「無理警告、阻礙採訪」，指當時有警司邀陳入防線。警方出稿「強烈譴責」記協聲明「無理指控、內容失實」，說警員要求他進入行動範圍內，以向他作出嚴正警告。
《集誌社》翻看當晚拍攝的片段，重組事發經過。片段顯示當晚，陳被一名白衣警遞手請進橙帶內，拍陳膊頭。陳其後另一名「嗌咪警」斥：「第一次警告，不要再衝擊警方防線」。之前拍膊頭的「遞手警」作勢推開陳朗昇稱「你唔好再推我啦！」
Chan Long-sing, multimedia production director at Channel C and chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was told by an on-site police officer on the night of June 4 that he was “charging the police cordon”. The HKJA issued a statement “strongly condemning” the police for “issuing an unreasonable warning and obstructing reporting”, saying that a police superintendent had invited Chan into the cordon. The police issued a statement “strongly condemning” the HKJA statement for making “unreasonable accusations” and containing “false content”, saying officers had asked him to enter the operational area so that they could issue him a stern warning.
《集誌社》reviewed footage filmed that night and reconstructed the sequence of events. The footage shows a white-shirted police officer beckoning Chan into the area inside the orange tape and patting him on the arm. Another “officer with a loudhailer” subsequently rebuked Chan: “First warning, do not charge the police cordon again.” The “beckoning officer” who had earlier patted Chan’s shoulder then gestured as if pushing Chan Long-sing away and said: “Don’t push me again!”
5 Jun 2024獨媒#3645
Nomination to Run for Hong Kong Journalists Association Chair Ruled Invalid; Online Media Editor Lee Man-nei Says Matter May Enter Legal Proceedings
香港記者協會執委會換屆在即，現任主席陳朗昇獲「溫馨提示」後宣布不爭取連任。上周五（5月31日）選舉提名期結束，記協收到兩人報名參選主席，當中包括網媒《透視報》主編李敏妮，記協指李的其中一名提名人撤銷提名，亦未能在限期前補上新提名，提名無效。李敏妮及後發文「投訴」記協，認為沒有給予足夠時間補交提名。《獨媒》過去一周兩度邀約李敏妮訪問，均被拒絕。她今日向《獨媒》稱「事件或許會進入法律程序」，並稱「會採取一切適當的行動」。
陳朗昇向《獨媒》表示，如李敏妮認為記協處事不公或有所投訴，可向獨立委任的選舉委員會投訴，委員會的成員完全獨立於執委會，會公正處理任何涉及記協選舉的投訴。
With the Hong Kong Journalists Association’s executive committee election approaching, incumbent chair Chan Long-sing announced that he would not seek re-election after receiving a “friendly reminder”. The nomination period ended last Friday (May 31), and the association received two applications to run for chair, including one from Lee Man-nei, editor-in-chief of online media outlet Tou Si Po. The association said one of Lee’s nominators withdrew the nomination and that she failed to submit a replacement nomination by the deadline, rendering the nomination invalid. Lee later posted a “complaint” about the association, saying she had not been given sufficient time to submit a replacement nomination. InMedia invited Lee for an interview twice over the past week, but she declined both times. She told InMedia today that “the matter may enter legal proceedings” and that she “will take all appropriate action”.
Chan Long-sing told InMedia that if Lee Man-nei believed the association had handled the matter unfairly or had a complaint, she could complain to the independently appointed Election Committee. He said the committee’s members were completely independent of the executive committee and would handle any complaints concerning the association’s election fairly.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
