Media Granted Exemption To Police Doxxing Injunction

The High Court has narrowed the scope of an injunction order that banned the public from revealing personal information about police officers, by providing an exemption for reporters.

A temporary injunction was granted on October 25, and was extended until further notice on Friday, but it now won’t prohibit lawful acts that are done solely for the purpose of news activity, as defined by the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

An application for a media exemption had been sought by the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), amid concerns the injunction could deal a blow to press freedom and the monitoring of police actions.

A lawyer for the HKJA told the court that the government was trying to restrict lawful reporting activities. He said press freedom shouldn’t be compromised.

The HKJA’s lawyer said the government should go after the perpetrators of doxxing, as the press was not responsible nor should it be made to suffer.

The injunction bans people from “intimidating, molesting, harassing, threatening or pestering” with police or their families, as well as leaking their personal information.

The force says many officers had been victims of doxxing since the protests broke out in June, causing some to fear for their safety.

Earlier, a lawyer for the Department of Justice and the police commissioner said providing a blanket exemption to the press would undermine the effectiveness of the injunction.

He said whatever names reported would be abused, and would facilitate doxxing against officers.