A representative for Reporters Without Borders was denied entry to Hong Kong on Wednesday while trying to enter the city on a mission to find out the truth about shrinking press freedom there, this organization said.
Aleksandra Bielakowska, a campaign worker for the Taipei-based group, said she was detained for six hours at Hong Kong International Airport, where she was questioned and her belongings searched multiple times. She was then deported without explanation.
Reporters Without Borders, which is based in Paris and represents journalists around the world, said it was the first time one of its representatives had been denied entry or detained. in Hong Kong.
Rebecca Vincent, campaigns director for Reporters Without Borders, said in a statement: “We are appalled by this unacceptable treatment of our colleague, who simply is to try to do your job.”
The Hong Kong government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ms. Bielakowska, a Polish national, went with her colleague, director of the organization’s Asia-Pacific regional office, Cédric Alviani. Mr. Alviani was allowed into Hong Kong without incident but returned to Taiwan later on Monday.
The two had planned to meet with journalists and monitor the national security trial of the media executive, Jimmy Laian ardent government critic and owner of Apple Daily newspaper is now closed. Ms. Bielakowska went to Hong Kong last December to attend the opening of Mr. Lai’s trial.
The episode takes place less than a month after Hong Kong’s introduction new national security lawcollectively known as the Article 23 law, it is partly aimed at foreign interference and raising the risks for journalists reporting news critical of the government.
The local law comes four years after China imposed its own national security law on Hong Kong following widespread pro-democracy protests, a measure aimed at suppressing dissent. and led to the closure of several independent media organizations.
Senior editors at one of those newspapers, Stand News, are on trial for publishing what authorities call seditious material. A ruling is expected later this month.
And last month, US government-funded news service Radio Free Asia announced that it was closing its Hong Kong bureau over concerns about the new Article 23 law.
Tiffany May Report contributions.
