Unwelcome but also welcome news out of Hong Kong in the past 48 hours or so

  

A message to Carrie Lam first seen on June 12th, 2019,

that remains valid through to today (June 11th, 2022)

Yesterday afternoon, Hong Kong investigative news wire Factwire announced that it was ceasing operations. "But to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose. It has, at last, come time to end our journey", it proclaimed.  

 

Founded in 2015, the folks behind Factwire had declared in its "About Us" page that “In a polarised society, we fill an important gap left by a media industry that is increasingly being undermined by government pressure, corporate interests and political-motivated self-censorship.”  In its farewell message, the folks behind it maintained that: "For the past six years, we have done our best to keep this publicly-funded investigative news agency afloat in Hong Kong, whilst adhering to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Through the ups and downs, we have always kept our mission – and our principles – near and dear to our hearts."

 

Factwire joins other independent/pro-democracy media outlets like Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News in having shuttered under pressure over the course of less than a year.  All in all, 17 media organizations have closed in Hong Kong in the past year, including three student outlets (two of them associated with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the other with Hong Kong Baptist University).  With Factwire's folding, there looks to be just two news outlets considered "yellow" (i.e., pro-democracy) left in Hong Kong -- quite the turnaround in less than one year; with one of the "holdouts" being the Hong Kong Free Press which, like Factwire, was established only in 2015.

 

Hours before Factwire's shuttering announcement, outgoing Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam had asserted that in an interview with CNBC that "Hong Kong is as free as ever, whether it’s in the freedom of expression, in the freedom of assembly, in the media, and so on.” I think Factwire's actions more truthfully show the real situation in Hong Kong.  Also, I think many people are wont to ask the same question as history Jeppe Mulich: i.e., "Why would anyone want to listen to anything Carrie Lam has to say at this point, let alone give her a massive platform?"

 

Moving on from a shameless woman to two individuals with nothing to be ashamed of: Former legislative councillor Cyd Ho was released from prison today after serving 21 months for four protest-related convictions.  She's not completely out of the woods yet legally -- on account of facing charges along with her fellow 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund trustees for having failed to register the fund with the government -- but it was good to see her out of prison and being able to do such as have dim sum today with long-time friend (and fellow former legislative councillor) Emily Lau.

In view of there not being much coverage about Cyd Ho's release in the English language press, it's good to see translations and summaries of Chinese press reports by the likes of K Tse,, who Tweeted that: "Cyd Ho said she was sad that many civic organisation & media outlets shut down during her sentence. The 67-y"ear-old’s words to Hongkongers, “The last two, three years have been so tiring. The most important thing is to relax, keep your mind and body healthy”.  Also: "Cyd [Ho] said her cellmates were hardworking, and it motivated her to take 4 psychology courses while behind bars. She joked, “The prison is a good place to study psychology, there are many subjects to learn from.” She hopes to get a chance to help rehabilitate inmates in the future."

 

I trust that those Tweets help give insight into Cyd Ho's good character.  As another member of the Twitterverse -- this one known as Lap Gong Leong -- was moved to state: "I can't think of anyone gentler, kinder, or more conscientious in HK politics than Cyd Ho. She's in it for the right reasons. Her mistaken imprisonment is an indictment on [Hong Kong]."

 

Also released from prison today was Yau Wang-tat.  His name may be less well known but mention the following to Hong Kongers and they will know who he is: "He was arrested for trying to help a young protestor who were shot in the chest during #Hong Kong Protests".  To be precise, back on October 1st, 2019.

 

A physics graduate student at the time of his arrest, Yau Wang-tat had received his PhD by the time his trial concluded and he sentenced in October 2021 to 12 months in prison for "unlawful assembly" but had his sentence shortened for "good conduct".  On a private Twitter account, it was observed that "He spent almost all his wage to buy prawn crackers for inmates and friends. “Officers were puzzled. But sharing is good.”"  

 

And yes, this is what present day Hong Kong is like: one where good hearted and otherwise exemplary individuals find themselves in prisons; and less exemplary individuals go unpunished for their crimes and misdemeanors.  And yes, this makes Hong Kong less than an ideal place to live for many.  At the same time though, we'll take our victories, however small, and enjoy what relief and happiness we get -- including by way of seeing good people out of jail, and reportedly with their goodness intact and spirits unbroken still.