For Immediate Release
Hong Kong Media Overseas (HKMO) strongly condemns the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), for firing Selina Cheng, who is the newly elected Chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA).
Cheng stated that the decision to fire her was made after assuming the chairmanship of the HKJA. The union has taken a steadfast position of defending press freedom despite constant pressure from the Hong Kong government. She told the press that the WSJ had asked her to withdraw from the HKJA’s election. She was informed that her employers regarded Cheng’s position in the HKJA as being “incompatible” with her job as a reporter covering China’s automobile and energy sectors.
The HKMO is shocked by the WSJ’s action, more so because the paper is based in the USA where freedom of expression is protected by law and had hoped that the paper would extend its interest in press freedom to its operations in Hong Kong. We note Ms Cheng’s reminder that while the WSJ actively campaigns for the release of Evan Gershkovich from jail in Russia it appears to be applying a double standard when it comes to press freedom in Hong Kong. Mr Gershkovich is held on false claims of spying but in reality was only trying to do his job as a reporter which is exactly what Hong Kong journalists are trying to do. We hope that Ms Cheng’s colleagues at the WSJ will extend the same support to her.
We are concerned that the WSJ has set a negative precedent for other media, both foreign and local, suggesting that safeguarding the rights of journalists may lead to job loss.
Joseph Ngan, the Chairman of the HKMO, said: “It is truly shocking that an American owned newspaper should act against both press freedom and labour rights in Hong Kong while editorially supporting these rights on its own pages.”
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