Hong Kong: Journalist visa denied due to restrictions on press freedom

Bloomberg News Beijing reporter Haze Fan has been denied a visa to enter Hong Kong for no apparent reason, and the Hong Kong Journalists Association's (HKJA) press freedom index has fallen to its lowest level ever. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is calling on city authorities to uphold Hong Kong's constitutional commitments to press freedom and ensure that journalists can work without fear of obstruction or unjustified barriers.

Haze Fan, a reporter from Bloomberg News, was disputed a work visa without explanation while attempting to relocate to the outlet's Hong Kong offices, the outlet said. Fan, arrested in December 2020 and released on bail in 2022 on suspicion of committing “crimes endangering national security”, returned about her role in the London newsroom.

Foreign correspondents are increasingly struggling to obtain a work visa for the city, as many news agencies and journalists are moving to other regions of the Asia-Pacific region. In 2020, a reporter from the Hong Kong Free Press was denied a visa after a six-month wait, while a journalist from the Economist was denied entry to the city in 2021, again without clear justification. In April 2024, Reporters Without Borders representative Aleksanra Bielakowska was denied entry to the city upon her arrival, detained for six hours at Hong Kong International Airport, and expelled without justification.

The rejection of Fan's visa coincides with increasing threats to press freedom in the city, according to a new study. The 2024 Press Freedom Index by the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institution (HKPORI), released on August 20, fell to the lowest score ever recorded among media workers.

These findings are based on a survey of more than 250 working journalists and around 1,000 members of the public, and reflect the significant challenges to press freedom over the past 12 months. 53% of the public believe that press freedom has worsened since 2023, with over 92% of journalists citing the impact of Hong Kong's national security laws as damaging to press freedom in the city. Other factors include the city's new security law, a decline in media diversity, and ongoing trials of Jimmy Lai and other media workers, among others.

The IFJ stated:“Journalists and media workers face enormous challenges in Hong Kong. The denial of Haze Fan's visa is the latest in a series of decisions restricting press freedom in the city. Solidarity with the city's beleaguered media community is more important than ever at this critical moment. The IFJ calls on the Hong Kong authorities to respect constitutional commitments to press freedom and ensure that the media can operate without undue restrictions.”