Hong Kong: NUJ and IFJ call for charges against journalist Allan Au to be dropped
Au is the eighth journalist arrested under anti-sedition legislation this month.
The NUJ has joined the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in condemning the arrest of journalist Allan Au in Hong Kong on 11 April.
Police stated an arrest for "conspiracy to publish seditious publication" had occurred, and it has been confirmed by Hong Kong Free Press that this arrest was in relation to Allan Au. Charged following a raid at his home at dawn, Au has since been released.
A lecturer at the School of Journalism and Communication, senior journalist Au was dismissed from his role at Radio Television Hong Kong last year, following a “government-directed editorial overhaul” accusing him of bias reporting.
His arrest earlier this week comes at a time when journalists working within Hong Kong face considerable restrictions on their reporting, and threat of being prosecuted under sedition law. Seven other journalists in Hong Kong have been arrested under anti-sedition legislation this month, including former trade union leader Leo Tang on April 6.
The IFJ said:
"Hong Kong’s punitive sedition law continues to be arbitrarily used by authorities to crackdown on critical and independent journalism. The IFJ calls on police officials to immediately release and drop all charges against Allan Au. Hong Kong authorities must end their persecution and of the press."
The NUJ and IFJ is calling for all charges brought against Au to be dropped.