When police raided the Apple Daily newsroom in 2021, journalists across Hong Kong understood they were witnessing more than the collapse of a newspaper—they were being shown the future. Over four years later, the conviction of founder Jimmy Lai on sedition charges has formalised a state of affairs that had already taken hold. The real impact is now embedded in daily editorial decisions about what can be written, who can speak, and how far the press can push in pursuit of the truth.
What remains of journalism in Hong Kong involves editors identifying invisible red lines, protecting staff, and ensuring reporting does not expose journalists or sources, while reporters engage in self-censorship to avoid harassment and intimidation by the authorities. “Nothing has changed because everything has already changed. The changes are baked in,” said Tom Grundy, founding editor of Hong Kong Free Press. “Many Hongkongers, from whatever side you’re on, are reluctant to speak nowadays, and there are fewer opportunities to ask questions of the authorities.”
Only a handful of journalists working in Hong Kong agreed to speak, with several requesting anonymity for fear of reprisal. Those interviewed described witnessing a rapid erosion of press freedom in what was once one of Asia’s most open media environments. Critics of the Chinese government argue that Lai’s guilty verdict, delivered after a 140-day trial, was preordained. Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison on 9 February—the longest jail term under the Beijing-imposed national security law—just days after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer concluded a visit to Beijing, during which he faced pressure to demand Lai’s release.
Selina Cheng, chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, says the days are gone when any story questioning political power or the city’s disciplinary forces would appear in the local press. On the surface, working conditions seem calm: there are no longer dramatic newsroom raids or sudden arrests. Instead, there are more covert forms of coercion—anonymous letters accusing journalists of anti-China activities, threats of being reported to national security police, targeted tax audits, and gag orders preventing them from explaining why they have stopped publishing. “Authorities have continued to arrest and prosecute people over speech, sometimes over quite innocuous comments on the internet criticising the government,” said Cheng.
Cheng, 35, who is embroiled in a legal battle with The Wall Street Journal over her dismissal, says she has first-hand experience of threats and harassment. Letters accusing her of anti-China activities were sent to a professional organisation connected to one of her family members. “Basically, it felt like a way to intimidate me and their professional contacts, suggesting that those contacts should not have a relationship with me,” she said. The journalists association has documented about a dozen similar cases involving reporters and their relatives, with complaints to police delivering no relief.
