FCC expresses ‘grave concern’ over attack on journalist at Hong Kong Airport protest

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club expresses grave concern over the attack by protesters on a journalist at Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday, August 13, 2019.

A reporter from Global Times was assaulted and detained by people protesting at the airport who tied his hands with plastic straps.  

We call on protesters to respect the right under Hong Kong law of journalists, regardless of nationality or news organisation, to cover events free from intimidation or violence.

The FCC has become alarmed by the growing number of reports of violence toward journalists by protesters, including attacks last week on vehicles belonging to TV station TVB.

Attacks on members of the media doing their job are unacceptable, regardless of the allegiance or views of the perpetrators.

We have called on the Hong Kong Police Force to respect the freedom of the press and the right of journalists to cover events, including protests and other police operations, unfettered and free of violence and threats.

Those who have concerns with a news organisation’s coverage can express their views on social media, in comments sections and other forums, but under no circumstances should they harass frontline journalists and block them from doing their job.

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club stands with the Hong Kong Journalists Association, the Hong Kong Photojournalist Association and with freelance and unaffiliated journalists in condemning acts of violence directed at the media and in demanding protesters, the Hong Kong government and the police all respect Hong Kong’s long tradition of press freedom.

The FCC’s open letter to the Hong Kong police commissioner Stephen Lo Wai Chung can be found here.

香港外國記者會對於2019 年8月13日（周二）有傳媒在香港國際機場受到襲擊表示嚴重關注。

《環球時報》的一名記者遭到機場抗議人士的襲擊和拘留，並被他們用膠索帶綁手。

我們呼籲示威者尊重本港法律為所有不同國籍及傳媒機構的記者提供保障，讓他們在進行采訪時免受恐嚇及被暴力對待。

香港外國記者會對愈來愈多有關示威者暴力對待記者的報導感到震驚，包括上周無綫電視台的採訪輛車受到襲擊。

無論犯事者所擁護的觀點如何，在傳媒工作者在履行職責時襲擊他們都是不可接受的。

我們已經呼籲香港警察尊重新聞自由，讓記者能夠在不受阻擋及沒有暴力威脅的情況下采訪示威和警方行動及其他事件。

關注個別新聞機構的報導的人士可以在社交媒體、網上評論區和其他論壇表達他們的觀點，但在任何情况下都不應該騷擾前線記者及阻礙他們工作。

香港外國記者會與香港記者協會、香港攝影記者協會以及自由撰稿人和獨立記者一起譴責針對傳媒的暴力行為，並一致要求示威者、香港政府和警察尊重香港長期以來新聞自由的傳統。

香港外國記者會致警務處處長盧偉聰的公開信可以在此下載：

https://www.fcchk.org/fcc-letter-to-hong-kong-commissioner-of-police-lo-wai-chung-stephen/