21 Jul 2023獨媒#8043
Independent Bookstore Holds “Small Book Fair”; Person in Charge: Publishers’ Books Will Not Be Censored
由貿發局主辦的香港書展，雖稱不會審查書商展銷書藉，惟去年DQ三個出版商的參展資格，其中兩間曾在2021年書展被指出售「禁書」遭舉報。被DQ的山道文化之後舉辦「香港人書展」，惟在開幕前夕被中止租約。
The Hong Kong Book Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, says it will not censor books displayed by booksellers. However, it disqualified three publishers from participating last year, two of which had been reported at the 2021 book fair for selling “banned books”. Hillway Culture, one of the disqualified publishers, subsequently held a “Hongkongers’ Book Fair”, but its tenancy was terminated on the eve of the opening.
19 Jul 2023獨媒#8018
Au Ka-lam signs ‘banned book’ at book fair, laments gradual disappearance of freedom of expression
康文署公共圖書館早前將多本書籍下架作檢視，包括資深傳媒人區家麟的著作。香港書展今早開幕，區家麟傍晚到書展為其「禁書」簽名，他希望公共圖書館在檢視書籍後能重新上架，並應將所有「問題」書籍的下架原因公告天下「話俾大家知有咩問題」。被問到書籍下架會否影響書商的出售，區家麟就稱：「我諗都唔會係因為有一啲書下架而所影響，而係整體嚟講，好多嘅表達自由已經係慢慢一點一滴咁好似無咗啦。」
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s public libraries recently removed several books from their shelves for review, including works by veteran media figure Au Ka-lam. The Hong Kong Book Fair opened this morning, and Au signed his “banned book” at the fair in the evening. He hoped the public libraries would return the books to their shelves after the review, and said the reasons for removing all “problematic” books should be made public “so everyone knows what the problem is”. Asked whether the removal of books would affect booksellers’ sales, Au said: “I don’t think it will be affected by the removal of some books. Rather, overall, a lot of freedom of expression seems to have gradually disappeared bit by bit.”
19 Jul 2023獨媒#8024
Ta Kung Pao Commentary Hits Back at “Jinghaihou（”, Says Casually Claiming National Security Law Has Gone “Too Far” Is of No Benefit to Hong Kong
有官媒背景的內地知名政治博客「靖海侯」最近發表一篇評論，批評國安法被「泛化利用」，又指有官員和議員動輒利用國安法，做事「寧左勿右，不管後果」，文章在政界引起討論和共鳴。主張「撥亂反正」一派終於打破沉默，《大公報》今日刊登一篇評論，反指國安法用得「太濫」說法不符事實；又反駁國安法在打擊「軟對抗」時，不存在「泛化利用」問題，因為「軟對抗」不是言論自由、意見表達，而是「黑暴」崩解後，「改由意識形態軟對抗」。評論反擊，若對香港潛在問題「隻眼開，隻眼閉」，是一個錯誤且危險的想法，又稱香港現時不能「自亂陣腳，輕言 『過火』 ，這對香港並沒有好處。」
A well-known mainland political blog with a state-media background, “Jinghaihou（”, recently published a commentary criticising the “generalised use” of the national security law and saying that some officials and lawmakers readily invoke the law, “preferring to err on the side of the left rather than the right, regardless of the consequences”. The article sparked discussion and resonance in political circles. The faction advocating “setting things right” finally broke its silence, with Ta Kung Pao publishing a commentary today arguing that the claim that the national security law has been used “too extensively” does not accord with the facts. It also rebutted the claim that there is a problem of “generalised use” when the law is used to combat “soft resistance”, saying that “soft resistance” is not freedom of speech or the expression of opinions, but a shift to “ideological soft resistance” after the collapse of the “black violence” movement. The commentary hit back that keeping one eye open and one eye closed to Hong Kong’s potential problems would be a wrong and dangerous idea. It also said that Hong Kong currently must not “throw itself into disorder and casually say [the law’s use has gone] ‘too far’, as this would be of no benefit to Hong Kong.”
19 Jul 2023光傳媒#8029
Qin Gang “Disappears” on the 24th; SCMP Deletes Paragraph on Qin Gang from US Scholar’s Article
美籍學者金培力（Philip J. Cunningham）在其Twitter投訴《南華早報》在未曾知會的情況下，擅自刪去他在7月15日一篇評論文章中提及中國外交部長秦剛的段落，「秦剛消失了。他不僅從中國的新聞當中消失，也從我的文章裡消失了！」（Qin Gang is missing. Not only is he missing from the news cycle in China, but he’s missing from my article!）。他認為編輯有權縮短篇幅，但把整段提及一個有實權的外交部長失蹤的文字刪掉就不純粹是「編輯」了。
US scholar Philip J. Cunningham complained on Twitter that the South China Morning Post deleted, without notifying him, a paragraph mentioning Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang from a commentary article he wrote on 15 July. “Qin Gang is missing. Not only is he missing from the news cycle in China, but he’s missing from my article!” he wrote. He said editors had the right to shorten an article, but deleting an entire passage about the disappearance of a foreign minister with real power was not purely “editing.”
18 Jul 2023法庭線#8005
“Glory to Hong Kong” Injunction Case | HKJA: DOJ Agrees to Add Exemption for Journalistic Work, So It Will Not Intervene
政府就《願榮光歸香港》申請禁制令案，禁止公眾播放或彈奏歌曲《願榮光》，案件排期本周五（21 日）審理。早前表明考慮介入案件的香港記者協會，周二（18 日）發聲明，指律政司接納記協建議，同意若禁制令獲批，會加入新聞工作豁免條款，豁免記者在執行新聞工作活動時的禁制令及民事責任。記協歡迎修訂，認為此舉將明確保障新聞及言論自由，故周五不會另作申請。
In the government’s application for an injunction against “Glory to Hong Kong”, which seeks to prohibit the public from playing or performing the song, the case is scheduled to be heard this Friday (21st). The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), which previously said it was considering intervening in the case, said in a statement on Tuesday (18th) that the Department of Justice had accepted its proposal and agreed that, if the injunction were granted, an exemption for journalistic work would be added. The exemption would exclude journalists from the injunction and civil liability when carrying out journalistic activities. The HKJA welcomed the amendment, saying it would clearly safeguard press freedom and freedom of expression, and therefore would not make a separate application on Friday.
16 Jul 2023獨媒#7999
Phone Made Good Film’s Ming Pao column mocks “white cards”; apologises a day later, saying it was written by an intern
電影創作平台「豐美股肥」再捲入爭議，其周六（7月15日）在《明報》的專欄文章《白色通行證》，提到殘疾人士登記證，文末指「勿讓白卡成為擾亂社會秩序，破壞社區安寧的通行證」。事隔一日，「豐美股肥」在社交媒體致歉，指文章由實習生所寫，即日起將停止《明報》專欄。
The film-creation platform “Phone Made Good Film” was again embroiled in controversy after its Saturday (July 15) column in Ming Pao, titled “White Pass”, referred to registration cards for people with disabilities and stated at the end: “Do not let white cards become passes that disrupt social order and undermine community peace.” A day later, “Phone Made Good Film” apologised on social media, saying the article had been written by an intern, and announced that it would stop contributing to the Ming Pao column with immediate effect.
13 Jul 2023獨媒#7980
Lo Kin-hei’s Ming Pao article criticises Chris Tang for leading discrimination against people with mental illness; Security Bureau condemns him for taking remarks out of context
保安局長鄧炳強早前在立法會稱，市民如見到有人「神情奇異」、「口噏噏」及「有少少兇暴性」，便應及早通知警方。民主黨主席羅健熙今日在 《明報》撰寫評論文章，批評鄧炳強該說法帶頭歧視，及負面標籤精神病患者。保安局發聲明譴責，指羅健熙該篇文章就防止罪案訊息斷章取義，將見疑即報善意提醒污名化。
Secretary for Security Chris Tang said earlier in the Legislative Council that members of the public should notify the police at an early stage if they saw someone who looked “strange”, was “mumbling” or seemed “a little aggressive”. Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei wrote a commentary article in Ming Pao today criticising Tang’s remarks as leading discrimination against and negatively labelling people with mental illness. The Security Bureau issued a statement condemning Lo’s article for taking crime-prevention information out of context and stigmatising the well-intentioned reminder to report suspicions immediately.
13 Jul 2023集誌社#7981
Study Says ‘Hong Kong Leaks’ Highly Likely Linked to Mainland China; Website Shut Down
反修例運動後出現名為「香港解密」的「起底」網站，上載約 2,800 名包括泛民人士、示威者、記者、教師和大學校長等個人資料。多倫多大學公民實驗室 Citizen Lab 香港時間周四晚（13日）發表調查報告，指出「香港解密」極大可能是一項「經統籌進行的專業資訊戰」，透過散播內容影響公眾意見，以起底阻嚇目標人物活動。報告強調現階段未能作出明確結論，但間接證據指向行動或與中國內地有關。
「香港解密」網站 (hkleaks.pk) 現時無法顯示，透過 Wayback Machine 翻查網站記錄，該網站於今年 6 月 10 日仍然運作。《集誌社》向私隱專員公署查詢，自《私隱條例》去年 10 月修訂新增「境外管轄權」後，曾否就有關網站進行執法？公署回覆指留意到有關網站已停止運作，不會就個別執法行動作出評論。
A doxxing website called “Hong Kong Leaks” emerged after the anti-extradition bill movement and uploaded the personal information of about 2,800 people, including pro-democracy figures, protesters, journalists, teachers and university presidents. The University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab published an investigative report on Thursday night Hong Kong time (the 13th), saying that “Hong Kong Leaks” was highly likely to be a “professionally coordinated information warfare” operation that sought to influence public opinion by disseminating content and deter its targets’ activities through doxxing. The report stressed that it was unable to reach a definitive conclusion at this stage, but said indirect evidence pointed to the operation possibly being linked to mainland China.
The “Hong Kong Leaks” website (hkleaks.pk) is currently inaccessible. A search of the website’s records through the Wayback Machine showed that it was still operating on June 10 this year. The Society for Community Organisation asked the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data whether it had taken enforcement action against the website since the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance was amended last October to add “extraterritorial jurisdiction”. The office replied that it had noted that the website had ceased operating and would not comment on individual enforcement actions.
10 Jul 2023NowTV#7953
Chris Tang Writes to Wall Street Journal Saying Ted Hui’s Article Is Misleading
保安局局長鄧炳強向《華爾街日報》發信，批評被通緝的許智峯在日報撰寫的評論文章內容誤導。
許智峯星期日在《華爾街日報》撰文指，即使已經離港三年，中國政權亦要他禁聲。鄧炳強形容許智峯的文章是對中華人民共和國和香港特區的公然侮辱，形容許智峯是一個沒有信譽的騙子，透過虛假文件欺騙法庭，棄保潛逃到外國，是典型的「叫人衝、自己鬆」。
Secretary for Security Chris Tang wrote to The Wall Street Journal, criticising an opinion article by wanted man Ted Hui as misleading.
In an article in The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, Hui said that even after leaving Hong Kong three years ago, the Chinese regime still wanted to silence him. Tang described Hui’s article as an open insult to the People’s Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He called Hui a discredited conman who deceived the court with forged documents and absconded abroad after jumping bail, describing him as a typical person who “urges others to charge ahead while holding back himself.”
7 Jul 2023明報#7944
Press Freedom Index Hits New Low; HKJA: Self-Censorship Main Cause
香港記者協會公布最新《2022年度新聞自由指數調查報告》，受訪新聞從業員及公眾對本港新聞自由評分繼續低位徘徊，分別為25.7及41.4分（滿分100），均為2013年度起有調查以來新低。在指數10個分項當中，「批評中央政府時有顧忌」評分最低，「自我審查」評分則在受訪新聞工作者中第二低（見表），記協稱是導致指數下跌的主因，評分低也反映相關現象普遍。
The Hong Kong Journalists Association published its latest 《2022 Press Freedom Index Survey Report》. News workers and members of the public surveyed continued to rate press freedom in Hong Kong at low levels, scoring it 25.7 and 41.4 points respectively out of 100—the lowest since the survey began in 2013. Among the index’s 10 subcategories, “having reservations when criticising the central government” received the lowest score, while “self-censorship” was the second-lowest among surveyed news workers (see table). The association said this was the main cause of the index’s decline, and that the low score also reflected the prevalence of the phenomenon.
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
