Cédric Alviani, director of East-Asia Bureau of RSF, in answering Chapman Chen's question today, replied that he disapproves of self-censorship of any kind, including that on HK separatism, despite the HK extradition law amendment recently proposed and the extra-territorial effect of China law. "Genuine rule of law should have no floating red line." He called upon HK residents to oppose the extradition law amendment, which, if passed, will pose a permanent threat to every journalist and blogger. On Apr 18, Reporters without Borders (RSF) held a press conference at the Hong Kong Legislative Council to announce the 2019 World Press Freedom Index, which ranked HK the 70th for 2018.
Hong Kong is Still Useful to RSF
Moreover, Alviani thinks that HK is still important to them, because first, HK is one of the 180 countries covered by the RSF World Press Freedom Index; second, HK is used by China as a lab for suppressing press freedom where people are not accustomed to the lack of it: third, HK is the symbol of the best possible situation China people can expect.
Chapman Chen's question (Mistranslation of Genocide in Extradition Bill):
"The offense 'Incitement to commit genocide' in the Fugitive Offender Ordinance is mistranslated as "incitement to commit ethnic-cleansing" in the Chinese version, which many Hongkongers suspect is for the purpose of making it broad enough to implicate Hong Kong separatists. And certain China laws have extra-territorial effect, e.g., that against secession. So a Western journalist or scholar reporting or researching about Hong Kong independence anywhere in the world, say, Washington D.C. or Paris, may be accused by Beijing of inciting HK people to commit secession or of incitement to commit ethnic-cleansing. And once the extradition law amendment is passed, when he or she sets foot on HK, he or she may be transferred to China for trial. So would you, Mr. Alviani, recommend Western journalists to refrain from covering Hong Kong independence?"
Text: Chapman Chen, HKBNews
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