Hong Kong: Defending freedom of speech

On 22 Feb 09, more than a hundred Hong Kong people took on the street to voice out their concerns about the alarming shrinking of freedom of speech in Hong Kong. The protest was proposed by the Citizens’ Radio and supported by other democratic institutions including Save RTHK Campaign, Hong Kong Human Right Monitors and the pan-democratic political alliance in Hong Kong.

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“Supporting Citizens’ Radio” and “Supporting RTHK” are the most frequent slogans chanted by the demonstrators. The protesters were unsatisfied with selective prosecution on Citizens’ Radio talk show’s guests including Mr Szeto Wah, a 78 years old prominent pro-democracy figure and the former chair of an anti-communist organization, Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. At the same time, protesters were also anger with the refusal of transforming RTHK, a quasi public broadcaster but critical towards the government, into an independent public broadcaster.

Mr Szeto Wah bravely said he would not be afraid of spending the rest of his life in prison in order to fight for the free speech zone in Hong Kong! One of the masters of ceremony of the event, Angel Lee wrote in her blog that:

本身我都很少參與遊行, 今次站出來是因為重視言論自由, 香港這個國際大都會絕對有能力容納到不同發聲的平台, 讓市民可以多個選擇, 這樣香港這美麗之都才得以發展。

I seldom participate in demonstration. This time I step out because I care about the freedom of speech. As an international city, Hong Kong has the ability to absorb diverse channels from different opinions, let’s citizens have more choices and it makes Hong Kong prettier for development.

Another participant, XOX also supports the struggle for freedom of speech in Hong Kong:

Still a bit tired after yesterday march. But it is worth it. The selective persecution in the People Readio so bloody unfair. […].So, freedom! Kind of touched when the uncle Wah (Szeto Wah) said he rather go to jail. I really really don't want him to go to jail, considering his age and everything.

In a reply to a forwarded post on Seven Deadly Sins of Donald Tsang’s leadership, pangtszyin sighed,

我覺得現在無論是香港新聞透明及自由度,己大不如前了.

In my views, Hong Kong media used to have high degree of freedom and transparency, but now all are fading.

The facebook event page also have some discussions and the youtube video below shows the concert outside the government central office after the rally: