Hong Kong confirms journalist arrested for alleged ‘seditious’ acts linked to 2019 Prince Edward MTR incident commemorations

Hong Kong police apprehended two individuals on Wednesday for allegedly engaging in "sedition," according to authorities. Local media identified the suspects as 37-year-old journalist Tang Ho-wing and 58-year-old activist Lee Ying-chi. The arrest of Tang marks the first known case of a journalist being charged with sedition under Hong Kong's homegrown security law, enacted in 2024 following an earlier law imposed by Beijing, reported the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA).

The arrests were part of a series of operations following an incident on August 31 outside Prince Edward metro station, where police found individuals holding bouquets and shouting seditious slogans. Six others were also arrested and subsequently released on bail. The police statement emphasized that some individuals at the scene were attempting to incite hatred against authorities by spreading false information and attacking government officials.

Tang had shared a video from the scene displaying activists shouting "August 31." In 2019, clashes between police and protesters occurred outside Prince Edward station during pro-democracy demonstrations, with claims of excessive force by riot police. Critics accused officers of using batons and pepper spray indiscriminately, leading to fatalities.

However, the police denied the allegations. The anniversary of these events has been marked annually by overseas activists since then. If convicted, Tang and Lee could face up to seven years in prison for their alleged sedition. The HKJA press union expressed concern that such arrests could deter journalists from reporting on-site, stating "reporting is not sedition."

Human rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, condemned the arrest, calling it a "criminalization of journalism" in Hong Kong. As of September 1, authorities had arrested 416 individuals for national security crimes, with 186 convictions.