Hong Kong: Journalist’s visa denied amid press freedom drop

Bloomberg News Beijing reporter Haze Fan was denied a visa to Hong Kong without a clear reason, while the latest edition of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA)'s Press Freedom Index has sunk to its lowest ever score. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges city authorities to abide by Hong Kong's constitutional commitments to press freedom, and ensure that journalists can work without fear of obstruction or undue barriers.

Police try to control media personnel outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong on May 30, 2024. Credit: Peter Parks / AFP

Haze Fan, a reporter for Bloomberg News , was denieda working visa without explanation while attempting to relocate to the outlet's Hong Kong offices, according to the outlet. Fan, detained in December 2020 and releasedon bail in 2022 on suspicion of having committed 'crimes endangering national security', has since returnedto her role at the London newsroom.

Foreign correspondents have faced increasing difficulties attaining working visas in the city, with many news outlets and journalists relocating across the asia-pacific. In 2020, a Hong Kong Free Press reporter was denied a visa after a six month wait while a journalist with The Economist was denied entry to the city in 2021, again without any clear explanation. In April 2024, Reporters Without Borders representative Aleksanra Bielakowska was denied entry to the city on arrival, detained for six hours at the Hong Kong International Airport, and expelled without explanation.

The denial of Fan's visa coincides with increasing threats to press freedom in the city according to new research. Released on August 20, the 2024 Press Freedom Index, published by the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institution (HKPORI), dropped to the lowest score on record among media workers.

These results were based on a poll of more than 250 working journalists and around 1,000 members of the public, and reflected significant challenges to press freedom over the past 12 months. 53% of the public believed press freedom had deteriorated since 2023, with over 92% of journalists identifying the impact of Hong Kong's domestic national security legislation as damaging press freedom in the city. Other factors include the city's new security law, a decline in media plurality, and ongoing trials against Jimmy Lai and other media workers, among other factors.

The IFJ said:"Journalists and media workers face enormous challenges in Hong Kong, with the denial of Haze Fan's visa the latest in a series of decisions limiting press freedom in the city. Solidarity with the city's embattled media community is more important than ever at this critical moment. The IFJ urges Hong Kong authorities to respect constitutional commitments to press freedom, and ensure that the media are allowed to work without undue restrictions."