Hong Kong – Gagging Order
7 min 00 sec
Reporter: Katrin Buhbut
Camera: Ralph Weihermann
Editor: Ralph Weihermann 0.03: Hong Kong: the densely populated metropolis – Asia’s gateway to the world: this is the way the town likes to see itself. 0.12: Mak Yin Tin works in the central production office of Hong Kong radio and TV. Today, Sunday, there are only a few programmes to produce; most of the employees have the day off. 0.24: From the 41-year-old journalist’s point of view, the newly planned legislation poses a threat to the freedom of expression in Hong Kong. Radio and television journalists are used to being able to express their opinions openly; now the new law could stop this freedom. 0.39-1.00: Mak Yin Tin, Chairman of the Hong Kong Journalist Association: “I think the most dangerous thing is that in the future, after the proposed legislation in implemented, the government will find it easier to make free speech a crime. We are absolutely opposed the proposals in this legislation.” 1.02: Article 23 is at the heart of the new laws. Those who speak out openly against the government in Peking will face life imprisonment. The USA and the UK have protested – but critics of the new law have not been reassured, despite promises that foreigners will be granted immunity. 1.21: Already many radio and television stations have been regulated – leaving a bleak prospect for Hong Kong’s journalists. 1.30-1.53: Interview with Mak Yin Tin: “The freedom of the press has already been attacked by the bill. Therefore, when these proposals relating to Article 23 come into force, censorship will dramatically increase, and that will hit Hong Kong very hard.” 1.54: For over five years, pessimists have been worried that China will turn Hong Kong into single province. The principle of “One country; two systems” – which Peking spoke of at the time as a long-term plan – will become void. 2.09: The minister responsible for security in Hong Kong’s regional administration considers the debate about Article 23 to be sheer scare-mongering. 2.19-2.36: Interview with Regina Ip, Hong Kong Security Minister: “We have a constitutional obligation to pass this law in order to forbid activities that endanger national security. It is specified in ‘Basic Law’, which states that Hong Kong must pass its own laws.” 2.38: It is exactly this point that the critics attack, including journalists who defend the Catholic Church. Because the key phrase “national security” naturally refers to China’s security, and not Hong Kong’s. According to the bishop of the metropolis, this law shows that Hong Kong is slowly becoming Peking’s puppet. 3.01-3.22: Interview with Joseph Zen, Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong: “All these laws are in aid of ‘national security’. But who has the final word over so-called national security? Certainly not Hong Kong. It is the government in Peking. If it declared that the Catholic Church is a danger to national security, what could the Hong Kong government do about it?” 3.22-3.42: Interview with Regina Ip: “Once more, there is no reason for concern. They’re only worried that the Catholic Church in Hong Kong could be punished because of its connections with the underground church in China. But our proposed legislation doesn’t mention such connections. This would only happen if they started behaving the same way and began to subordinate themselves.” 3.44: According to church leaders, this is a weak argument. The fate the underground church in China – the Pope-following Catholics – will become the fate of the official church in Hong Kong. 4.00: But the Bishop isn’t just worried about religious freedom; the new laws affect every citizen of Hong Kong. 4.08-4.34: Interview with Joseph Zen: “Even if no one is taken to court in the near future, the danger is that people still won’t speak out because of the new laws. Everyone will be afraid and no one will dare to speak. And that will destroy Hong Kong’s secret of success.” 4.36: On top of that, the successful financial centre has had to bear its first downturn in recent years. 4.45: Asia’s former Boomtown has become more of an anxious giant. The number of new skyscrapers under construction is now just a fraction of those being built in Shanghai. 4.59: Over-expensive rents and declining incomes are driving many people into poverty. 5.04: At the gates of Hong Kong, people are living in boats because they cannot afford to pay for a permanent place to stay. 5.16: 2002 witnessed for the first time, real talk of an economic crisis; and now Hong Kong is also facing political uncertainty. 5.25: Some months ago, a political initiative was set up to inform the citizens against the dangers of Article 23. 5.34: Here, in the centre of Hong Kong, the organizers are collecting signatures for a petition against the new law, with some degree of success. The people don’t trust the government. 5.43-5.49: Vox pop: “Well, it’s a threat: a threat to our freedom of living.” 5.49-5.54: Vox pop: “The freedom of expression is very important to the people of Hong Kong.” 5.54-6.15: Interview with Emily Lo, Hong Kong Rights Association: “Hong Kong has no democracy, but we enjoy certain freedoms, and we have a legal right. But we’re afraid that some of these freedoms will disappear if Article 23 is implemented. We fear that the sort of control the government of mainland China exerts over its people could be introduced in Hong Kong. 6.19: Meanwhile, at Hong Kong University, Mak Yin Tin seeks to add her contribution to the campaign. But the attendance at the lecture on “Civil Rights and Article 23” is poor. Only a few students are interested in political affairs. 6.37: Some people hope that perhaps the problem will take care of itself as China opens itself to the West; but this is not much of a comfort to Hong Kong’s journalists. 6.47-7.08: Interview with Mak Yin Tin, of the Hong Kong Journalist Association: “Even if the Chinese government were later to open itself up politically, it will be a long time before it can be regarded as an open and democratic society, and during this process, how will they be able to guarantee our civil rights?” 7.10: Peking is already casting a long shadow. The editor-in-chief has already put restraints on Mak Yin Tin’s requests for press conferences and interviews, which he must obey if he wants to keep his job.
Camera: Ralph Weihermann
Editor: Ralph Weihermann 0.03: Hong Kong: the densely populated metropolis – Asia’s gateway to the world: this is the way the town likes to see itself. 0.12: Mak Yin Tin works in the central production office of Hong Kong radio and TV. Today, Sunday, there are only a few programmes to produce; most of the employees have the day off. 0.24: From the 41-year-old journalist’s point of view, the newly planned legislation poses a threat to the freedom of expression in Hong Kong. Radio and television journalists are used to being able to express their opinions openly; now the new law could stop this freedom. 0.39-1.00: Mak Yin Tin, Chairman of the Hong Kong Journalist Association: “I think the most dangerous thing is that in the future, after the proposed legislation in implemented, the government will find it easier to make free speech a crime. We are absolutely opposed the proposals in this legislation.” 1.02: Article 23 is at the heart of the new laws. Those who speak out openly against the government in Peking will face life imprisonment. The USA and the UK have protested – but critics of the new law have not been reassured, despite promises that foreigners will be granted immunity. 1.21: Already many radio and television stations have been regulated – leaving a bleak prospect for Hong Kong’s journalists. 1.30-1.53: Interview with Mak Yin Tin: “The freedom of the press has already been attacked by the bill. Therefore, when these proposals relating to Article 23 come into force, censorship will dramatically increase, and that will hit Hong Kong very hard.” 1.54: For over five years, pessimists have been worried that China will turn Hong Kong into single province. The principle of “One country; two systems” – which Peking spoke of at the time as a long-term plan – will become void. 2.09: The minister responsible for security in Hong Kong’s regional administration considers the debate about Article 23 to be sheer scare-mongering. 2.19-2.36: Interview with Regina Ip, Hong Kong Security Minister: “We have a constitutional obligation to pass this law in order to forbid activities that endanger national security. It is specified in ‘Basic Law’, which states that Hong Kong must pass its own laws.” 2.38: It is exactly this point that the critics attack, including journalists who defend the Catholic Church. Because the key phrase “national security” naturally refers to China’s security, and not Hong Kong’s. According to the bishop of the metropolis, this law shows that Hong Kong is slowly becoming Peking’s puppet. 3.01-3.22: Interview with Joseph Zen, Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong: “All these laws are in aid of ‘national security’. But who has the final word over so-called national security? Certainly not Hong Kong. It is the government in Peking. If it declared that the Catholic Church is a danger to national security, what could the Hong Kong government do about it?” 3.22-3.42: Interview with Regina Ip: “Once more, there is no reason for concern. They’re only worried that the Catholic Church in Hong Kong could be punished because of its connections with the underground church in China. But our proposed legislation doesn’t mention such connections. This would only happen if they started behaving the same way and began to subordinate themselves.” 3.44: According to church leaders, this is a weak argument. The fate the underground church in China – the Pope-following Catholics – will become the fate of the official church in Hong Kong. 4.00: But the Bishop isn’t just worried about religious freedom; the new laws affect every citizen of Hong Kong. 4.08-4.34: Interview with Joseph Zen: “Even if no one is taken to court in the near future, the danger is that people still won’t speak out because of the new laws. Everyone will be afraid and no one will dare to speak. And that will destroy Hong Kong’s secret of success.” 4.36: On top of that, the successful financial centre has had to bear its first downturn in recent years. 4.45: Asia’s former Boomtown has become more of an anxious giant. The number of new skyscrapers under construction is now just a fraction of those being built in Shanghai. 4.59: Over-expensive rents and declining incomes are driving many people into poverty. 5.04: At the gates of Hong Kong, people are living in boats because they cannot afford to pay for a permanent place to stay. 5.16: 2002 witnessed for the first time, real talk of an economic crisis; and now Hong Kong is also facing political uncertainty. 5.25: Some months ago, a political initiative was set up to inform the citizens against the dangers of Article 23. 5.34: Here, in the centre of Hong Kong, the organizers are collecting signatures for a petition against the new law, with some degree of success. The people don’t trust the government. 5.43-5.49: Vox pop: “Well, it’s a threat: a threat to our freedom of living.” 5.49-5.54: Vox pop: “The freedom of expression is very important to the people of Hong Kong.” 5.54-6.15: Interview with Emily Lo, Hong Kong Rights Association: “Hong Kong has no democracy, but we enjoy certain freedoms, and we have a legal right. But we’re afraid that some of these freedoms will disappear if Article 23 is implemented. We fear that the sort of control the government of mainland China exerts over its people could be introduced in Hong Kong. 6.19: Meanwhile, at Hong Kong University, Mak Yin Tin seeks to add her contribution to the campaign. But the attendance at the lecture on “Civil Rights and Article 23” is poor. Only a few students are interested in political affairs. 6.37: Some people hope that perhaps the problem will take care of itself as China opens itself to the West; but this is not much of a comfort to Hong Kong’s journalists. 6.47-7.08: Interview with Mak Yin Tin, of the Hong Kong Journalist Association: “Even if the Chinese government were later to open itself up politically, it will be a long time before it can be regarded as an open and democratic society, and during this process, how will they be able to guarantee our civil rights?” 7.10: Peking is already casting a long shadow. The editor-in-chief has already put restraints on Mak Yin Tin’s requests for press conferences and interviews, which he must obey if he wants to keep his job.