Hong Kong confirms journalist held in sedition case
HKFP · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police said two people were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly acting “with seditious intent” in an operation tied to an August 31 incident outside Prince Edward MTR station, while local media identified one of them as independent journalist Tang Ho-wing and the other as activist Lee Ying-chi. Earlier reports said national security police arrested Tang at about 7am on Wednesday, and that he runs the online news outlet Boom News under the moniker “Boomhead.”
Key Points
- Police said the suspects were a 37-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman, but local media identified them as journalist Tang Ho-wing and activist Lee Ying-chi.
- Images published by local media showed officers in National Security Department vests escorting Tang in handcuffs from a residential building to a police van.
- Police linked the case to events on August 31 outside Prince Edward station, where several people were allegedly holding bouquets and shouting “seditious slogans.”
- Authorities said six other people had already been arrested earlier in September over the same offence and were later released on bail.
- Sing Tao Headline reported Tang was arrested on suspicion of disseminating false information, with later local reports suggesting the allegation related to incitement or sedition.
Why It Matters
The Hong Kong Journalists Association said Tang’s detention was the first publicly known case of a journalist being arrested for sedition under Hong Kong’s 2024 homegrown security law. The case also centers on reporting and online posts about the long-disputed August 31, 2019 Prince Edward station incident, an issue that remains politically sensitive in Hong Kong.