Arrest Of Next Magazine Reporters Condemned

The Journalists Association and the Press Photographers Association have condemned the police over the arrest of two reporters from Next Magazine on Tuesday.

The magazine also issued a separate statement accusing the police of abusing its power in what it alleged was an attempt to obstruct their reporters from exposing a scandal concerning a senior officer.

According to the magazine, the reporters were detained on suspicion of loitering as they were working on an investigative report in Clear Water Bay, even though they had stated their identities.

After they were taken to a police station, the magazine said officers inspected the pictures they had taken, and confiscated and photocopied their notes despite the journalists' objections.

They were released after the police confirmed their identities. The chairman of the Journalists Association Chris Yeung said officers have no right to inspect journalistic materials without a court order.

He said the reporters were doing a story about a senior police official. “This is a quite serious infringement of the rights of reporters,” he said.

In a Facebook post, the police said it's regrettable that the magazine claimed their reporters were "snatched away for no reason", saying the allegation is false.

It said the arrests were based on reasonable suspicion and insisted the reporters failed to provide reasonable explanation on why they were there.

The police said they will remain steadfast in carrying out duties and taking law enforcement actions, despite the "malicious attacks" by certain media.