Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Space Industry and Business News .




DEMOCRACY
Protestors march for press freedom in Hong Kong
by Staff Writers
Hong Kong (AFP) Feb 23, 2014


Protestors took to Hong Kong streets on Sunday to march for press freedom, in a demonstration organised by journalists as fears grow that free expression is being compromised.

Organisers estimated 6,000 participated in the march -- though police said the figure was 1,600 -- many wore blue ribbons as a symbol advocating free expression in the media.

There have been mounting concerns that China seeks to tighten control over the semi-autonomous region -- and rein in the press.

"Headlines have been edited, interviews were barred, and columnists were fired. Some see these as commercial decisions or even labour disputes. But we have to see this from the context of tightening control on media in Hong Kong," Shirley Yam, vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, told AFP at the rally.

Protesters chanted slogans such as "Free the people. Free Hong Kong. No censorship", as they marched through the streets before arriving at the district of Admiralty where the city's government headquarters are situated.

This month, two international organisations expressed concerns over the status of press freedom in Hong Kong.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said media freedom in Hong Kong was currently "at a low point", citing self-censorship among reporters, financial and physical threats against the media and legislative steps that could hinder investigative reporting.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said Hong Kong's media independence "is now in jeopardy" as China flexes its muscles to stifle critical coverage.

Under a deal between London and Beijing leading to the city's handover in 1997, freedom of the press, among other rights, should be preserved for at least 50 years.

"There has been a worrying trend of rising self-censorship. This is something that affects all journalists," Jonathan Hopfner, a Hong Kong-based journalist and a member of the city's Foreign Correspondents' Club, told AFP at the rally.

"Many media organisations choose Hong Kong as a base because of its strong tradition of free speech. We expect those rights to remain in place," he said.

Martin Lee, former Democratic Party chairman who is among those in rally, told AFP: "When the freedom of the press is gone, no other freedom can be saved."

The city's government, led by pro-Beijing leader Leung Chun-ying, has denied any attempts by the authorities to suppress the press.

.


Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








DEMOCRACY
Argentina, Brazil said to fret over Venezuela spillover
Buenos Aires (UPI) Feb 21, 2013
An Arab Spring-like contagion of discontent and protest sweeping through Venezuela is worrying leaders in Argentina and Brazil for its potential spillover, analysts say. Latin American commentators have long anticipated and speculated about reverberations from the chain of events that began in Tunisia in 2011 and led to peaceful or violent regime changes in Arab Middle East and North Af ... read more


DEMOCRACY
Lagos gets on its bike with recycling 'loyalty' scheme

Gecko-inspired Adhesion: Self-cleaning and Reliable

Google shows prototype phone that creates 3-D maps of its surroundings

An essential step toward printing living tissues

DEMOCRACY
US Marines Reach Milestone For New General Dynamics-built Aviation CCS

MUOS Satellite Tests Show Extensive Reach In Polar Communications Capability

Space squadron optimizes wideband communication constellations

GA-ASI and Northrop Showcase Unmanned Electronic Attack Capabilities

DEMOCRACY
Arianespace to launch OPTSAT 3000 and VENuS satellites

Lighter engines a headache for satellite launcher Ariane

New Russian Rocket Mock-Up Rolls Out to Launch Pad

ILS Proton Successfully Launches TURKSAT-4A for Turksat

DEMOCRACY
Russia to deploy up to 7 Glonass ground stations outside of national territory in 2014

Northrop Grumman Awarded U.S. Military Contract for Navigation Systems

Galileo works, and works well

Sochi Olympic transport controlled from space using GLONASS satellite

DEMOCRACY
Proposed supersonic plane to do without windows, video screens instead

French anti-airport protesters clash with police

Brazil regional jet makes inroads into U.S. market

AgustaWestland gets Indonesian and Malaysian helicopter orders

DEMOCRACY
Stirring-up atomtronics in a quantum circuit

New way to measure electron pair interactions

New Research Leads To Multifunctional Spintronic Smart Sensors

Ballistic transport in graphene suggests new type of electronic device

DEMOCRACY
Sentinel-1 spreads its wings

NASA Satellites See Arctic Surface Darkening Faster

Sharp-Eyed Proba-V Works Around The Clock

NASA Data Find Some Hope for Water in Aral Sea Basin

DEMOCRACY
Bulgaria chokes on air pollution fuelled by poverty

Air purifier rush as smog shrouds northern China

New Test Screens Wastewater Biosolids for Environmental Contaminants

New Bedford Harbor pollution prompts PCB-resistance in Atlantic killifish




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.