The raid shut down one of Hong Kong's last pro-democracy news outlets, marking a further contraction of press freedom under the national security law.
Key Facts
- Date of raid
- 29 December 2021
- Raiding authority
- National Security Department, Hong Kong Police Force
- Charge
- Conspiring to publish seditious publications
- Outcome for outlet
- Stand News ceased operations; all employees dismissed
- International condemnation
- UN OHCHR, Canada, Germany, UK, and US condemned the raid
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The passage of Hong Kong's national security law in 2020 created a legal framework enabling authorities to target pro-democracy media. Stand News was one of the few outlets still operating under this environment, and police deemed its publications seditious under the law.
On 29 December 2021, the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force raided Stand News. Media executives and journalists were arrested on charges of conspiring to publish seditious publications, and the organisation's assets were frozen.
Stand News immediately ceased all operations, its website and social media went dark, and every employee was dismissed. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and governments of Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States publicly condemned the action.