Hong Kong Watch condemns the deportation of RSF human rights defender from Hong Kong

Today Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a Paris headquartered NGO which defends the rights of journalists worldwide, announced that one of its representatives had been deported from Hong Kong. 

RSF’s Taipei-based Advocacy Officer Aleksandra Bielakowska was in Hong Kong to monitor the trial of publisher and Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, who faces life imprisonment on national security charges. Ms. Bielakowska was detained for six hours, searched, and questioned at Hong Kong’s international airport before being deported. 

According to RSF, this is the first time the Hong Kong authorities have taken such a step. RSF representatives previously successfully entered Hong Kong in June and December 2023, and were able to hold meetings with journalists and diplomats without encountering any difficulties.

Benedict Rogers, co-founder and CEO of Hong Kong Watch, stated:

“Over the past two decades Hong Kong has plummeted from 18th place to 140th, out of 180 countries, in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index. China is at 179th. With actions like this, it appears that the Hong Kong authorities feel the need to follow Beijing’s lead and ensure they hit rock-bottom in global rankings for press freedom. 

“Emboldened by the lack of concrete responses to the passing of Article 23 legislation in March, the Hong Kong authorities are becoming increasingly brazen in their shows of force against journalists and human rights defenders. The UK has still yet to sanction a single individual in Hong Kong. We urge the UK government once again to consider imposing targeted sanctions on Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, including asset freezes and a travel ban, to show that such flagrant violations of Hong Kong’s international obligations will not be tolerated.”

擬來港旁聽黎智英案 無國界記者代表被遞解出境 香港監察再次促請英政府制裁李家超

無國界記者組織（Reporters Without Borders）表示，其駐台北倡議專員白奧蘭（Aleksandra Bielakowska）今天抵港打算旁聽黎智英案件審訊，惟被拒絕入境。組織稱，白奧蘭抵達香港國際機場後被入境處人員扣查問話六小時，其後被即時遞解出境。

無國界記者指，今次是首次有代表在香港機場被拒入境或遭扣留。組織代表去年6月和12月成功入境香港，順利聽審及會見記者和外交官。

香港監察共同創辦人兼行政總監羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）表示：

「香港在無國界記者組織的世界新聞自由指數排名榜上，過去二十年來由18位暴跌至在180個國家或地區中位列140位。中國更排第179名。香港當局似乎覺得有必要透過這樣的行動，緊隨北京的腳步，在全球新聞自由排名中跌至谷底。

香港三月通過23條立法後，國際間缺乏具體回應，香港當局借此壯膽，愈來愈肆無忌憚地向記者和人權捍衛者宣示權力。英國尚未制裁任何香港官員。我們再次促請英國政府考慮點名制裁香港行政長官李家超，包括資產凍結和旅遊禁令，藉以表明不會容忍這種公然違反香港國際義務的行為。」