Hong Kong journalists’ union says reporters, relatives and their bosses targeted in harassment campaign
Undersecretary for security says he is unaware of claims, urges anyone being threatened to ‘come out and report [it]’
A journalists’ group in Hong Kong has said dozens of reporters, their family members and employers, as well as neighbours and landlords, have been harassed in what it described as a “systematic attack against media workers”.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) on Friday condemned the harassment as “a serious interference with press freedom”, adding the matter had been reported to police.
The undersecretary for security said he was unaware of the claims and reiterated the city was a place that followed the rule of law.
The Customs and Excise Department also said its officers did not collect the personal phone numbers of passengers, following claims two journalists received threatening messages after arriving in the city.
Two journalists had lodged complaints about criminal doxxing with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, the association said.
“Since June, self-proclaimed ‘patriots’ have sent anonymous complaints by email or letter to at least 15 journalists’ family members and their family members’ employers, landlords and related organisations, including charities, schools and private businesses,” the HKJA said.
