98% of Hong Kong journalists disapprove of national security law: Survey

Local reporters overwhelmingly disagree with Beijing’s tailor-made national security law, according to the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association.

The findings of the group’s survey, published Thursday, found that 147 out of the 150 who responded—or 98%—disapprove of the looming legislation.

“[Reporters’] major concern is [that] the eroding press freedom will be further deteriorated and the media self-censorship will be worsened,” a statement from the association read.

More than 90% of respondents said they are “quite worried” or “very worried” that the passage of the national security law would threaten their personal safety, while 87% believed it would “seriously affect” press freedom in Hong Kong.

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Beijing officials said last month that they would be pushing a national security law in Hong Kong to target seditious activity, foreign interference, terrorism, and subversion against the central government.

Many see it as the latest and most severe clampdown on the cherished liberties that differentiate Hong Kong and mainland China.

This week, Beijing’s top legislature said the law would permit the extradition of fugitives in Hong Kong to mainland China to stand trial—effectively undoing last year’s withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill.

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According to the survey, over 90% of reporters said they feared that media could face a “political crackdown because of its coverage.”

But more than 50% said their companies said their company has not “put pressure” on reporters when “handling sensitive stories,” and over a third said they would not leave the media industry after the passing of the law.

The association has sent a letter to Chinese authorities to express their concerns about how the security legislation might curtail press freedoms and worsen self-censorship. In the letter, it referred to the law as “a knife hanging over the head of Hong Kong people” and urged that Beijing “fully consult the people of Hong Kong, including the media.”