A recent report by the Resilience Innovation Lab, released on March 16, highlights a concerning decline in press freedom in Hong Kong, exacerbated by the implementation of the National Security Law and Article 23.
The report, titled "Defending Hong Kong's Information Freedom: Challenges, Opportunities and Ways Out," is based on interviews with ten Hong Kong civil society members, including journalists, human rights advocates, and researchers, conducted between August and November of the previous year.
The 43-page report identifies key challenges to information freedom, including the absence of archives and information freedom laws, increased scrutiny and harassment of journalists, government data removal, and vague definitions of "national secrets" and "seditious activities" under Article 23. These restrictions raise concerns about Hong Kong's future as an international financial center. The report urges the establishment of international-standard archives and information freedom laws, strengthened support for journalists, and continuous monitoring by the UN.