HKJA Rules Out Appeal Over Police Treatment Of Media

The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) says it will not appeal against the High Court's dismissal of its legal challenge over the police’s behaviour towards reporters at protests.

The HKJA had accused the police of acting unlawfully by failing to make sure the media can carry out their duties at the scene of protests.

But last month, a High Court judge said that although the allegations were reasonably arguable, they could not be dealt with in the judicial review case brought.

The association said on Tuesday that after consulting its legal team, it had decided that the potential costs would be too much for it to bear should it lose an appeal.

Taking into account a range of factors and the fact that there are other cases on its plate, the association said it had decided not to pursue the matter.

In a statement, the HKJA said it had wanted to seek justice for the media after seeing how some frontline police officers had used force against reporters and insulted them since Hong Kong's social unrest erupted in the middle of 2019.

The association thanked the journalists who submitted statements for the court case recounting how they had been ill-treated by officers, including being shot with rubber bullets and beaten with batons.