Hong Kong Watch delivers statement to UN Committee on Cultural, Social, and Economic Rights

Today, at the UN’s Review of Hong Kong’s compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Hong Kong Watch delivered a statement and gave recommendations for the review. 

Hong Kong Watch highlighted two areas of concern, cultural rights and trade union rights, in relation to freedom of the media, which is the focus of our work. Since 2021, there has been a very serious decline in the state of the media in Hong Kong. Multiple media outlets have closed down, journalists are on trial and in the news outlets that remain standing, there have been significant changes in staff and output to the point that one questions the freedom of the media.

The largest threat to the freedom of the media in Hong Kong is without a doubt the National Security Law that was passed in 2020. Last year, at the ICCPR review, the Human Rights Committee expressed concerns about the law’s lack of clarity, and overly broad interpretation. They recommended that Hong Kong repeal the National Security law and refrain from applying it in the meantime.

Under the National Security Law, media outlets and journalists face new, systematic restrictions and attacks, and resort to self-censorship, leaving the industry, or exile to protect their safety. This has a huge impact on the media professionals’ ability to enjoy and contribute to the culture of Hong Kong. This also greatly distorts the media and cultural landscape in Hong Kong, as people can only consume media that is approved by the government, and do not have the freedom to contribute to or enjoy their full cultural rights.

Trade unions have also been affected by the National Security Law, as many have disbanded in the last two years and a union for overseas journalists has recently been formed. This underlines the inability for unions to adequately protect workers who are in Hong Kong and the huge numbers of people who have left Hong Kong.

For further information, please read Hong Kong Watch’s full submission and our previous press release.