Hong Kong media outlet Stand News to close after police raid

New york, december 28, 2021 – in response to hong kong authorities’ raid on stand news today and the arrests of six people affiliated with the outlet, the committee to protect journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “the arrests of six people associated with stand news amounts to an open assault on hong kong’s already tattered press freedom, as china steps up direct control over the former colony,” said steven butler, cpj’s asia program coordinator. “authorities must release the six and drop all charges against them immediately if hong kong is to retain any semblance of the freedoms that its residents enjoyed only a few years ago. Two former senior editors of stand news, a pro-democracy news outlet in hong kong, were charged with conspiring to publish seditious material, said authorities. This has come a day after about 200 police personnel raided the office of the online publication. The raid took place on wednesday (december 29). Assets of stan news were frozen and several current and former senior editors and former board members were arrested. The raid was criticised by media advocacy groups and western governments. The action by the authorities is being seen as a further erosion of