Hong Kong Watch condemns the arrest of award-winning journalist who reported on the Yuen Long Incident

Today the Hong Kong Police arrested Choy Yuk-ling, one of the producers of Hong Kong Connection. Hong Kong Connection is a respected current affairs programme, produced by Hong Kong's public service broadcaster. The programme in question investigated the police response to the Yuen Long MTR station attack in 2019, which saw 45 commuters and protestors injured after being attacked by suspected gang members.

Police were widely criticised for failing to attend emergency calls from Yuen Long for over half an hour and making no arrests on the night, prompting accusations of collusion which were exacerbated when pictures emerged of police officers standing alongside the attackers.

RTHK has reported that Choi was arrested by the Hong Kong Police for giving false information, namely misusing a vehicle number plate search as part of the investigation.

Commenting on the arrest of Choy Yuk-ling, Johnny Patterson, Hong Kong Watch’s Policy Director said:

“Hong Kong Watch strongly condemns the arrest of Choy Yuk-ling, the RTHK journalist who produced the Yuen Long documentary. It is nothing less than an outright assault on press freedom.

The police have failed to hold the perpetrators of the Yuen Long attack to account, for the victims there has still been no justice.

Instead, they have chosen to arrest a journalist whose only crime is reminding the world of that fact.”