'Arrest Of RTHK Producer An Attack On Press Freedom'

Pro-democracy lawmakers on Tuesday expressed alarm over the arrest of an RTHK producer who worked on programmes on the July 21 Yuen Long outrage, saying the police's move was a clear attack on Hong Kong’s press freedom.

Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting – who was among those injured in the Yuen Long violence – described the producer, Bao Choy, as a professional journalist who had "asked all the right questions" in the Hong Kong Connection programme.

Lam said the arrest would undoubtedly put pressure on journalists, but urged them to stand firm.

"I do think that the police operation will inevitably create a chilling effect that those journalists who dare to report any wrongdoings of the government officials or the pro-establishment camp have been facing great pressure and I urge them to stand firm and report the truth... without fear or favour", he said.

Civic Party leader Alvin Yeung also condemned the arrest, and questioned whether authorities were taking "revenge" against the producer, who was trying to get to the bottom of what happened in Yuen Long last year.

He also took aim at Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who said to reporters on Tuesday morning that everybody is equal before the law.

"If this is not a revenge, what is it? I understand from the journalism practice that in investigative journalism, everybody does the same thing, by revealing the people, the companies, the connections behind vehicles and pieces of land. And when basically everybody does that in the profession, how come this is the only incident that (involves someone getting) arrested? And if this is called fairness, nothing is unfair in Hong Kong", he said.

Council Front lawmaker Claudia Mo, who's a former journalist, also described the arrest as "ridiculous".

She said conducting car plate searches, which Choy is believed to be accused of, is an extremely common practice in Hong Kong.

Mo said the arrest is a blatant attack on press freedom and yet another attempt to clamp down on RTHK, which has repeatedly come under fire by pro-Beijing figures who accuse the station of being anti-government.

Pro-government lawmaker Junius Ho, meanwhile, said he is all for journalists pursuing facts, as long as they don't break the law during the process.

Ho was filmed shaking hands with white-clad men in Yuen Long on the night of the attack on July 21 last year. The legislator, who is the new chairman of the Legco's IT and broadcasting panel, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the incident.