Hong Kong Journalist Sues Police for Illegal Arrest

Reporter Kiri Choy (right) sued Hong Kong Police for illegally arresting her. (Pan Zaishu/The Epoch Times)

HONG KONGHong Kong-based reporter Kiri Choy has filed a lawsuit against the police for illegal detention.

On Sept. 8, Kiri Choy announced at a press conference that she is suing Hong Kong Police Chief Wai Hung Andy Tsang for arresting her while she was taking an interview on July 1 and for detaining her for more than 10 hours.

She was accompanied by Albert Chun-yan Ho, chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party. Mr. Ho stressed that this was the first lawsuit by a reporter against the police for an illegal arrest, and that the Democratic Party would fully support the lawsuit.

Mr. Ho said that the fact that the Hong Kong Police had continued to detain Ms. Choy even after learning her identity as a reporter was a gross violation of the core values of Hong Kong. If we don't have freedom of press, then we've lost more than half of our basic freedom of expression.

He added that from the police's reaction during the rally on July 1 to the visit by China's Vice Premier Li Keqiang, it is clear that the Chinese Communist Party has interfered with a series of events in Hong Kong.

The people of Hong Kong have a reason to care and be concerned. We should stand united to safeguard our basic values, Mr. Ho said.

Mr. Ho said that the police's accounts of the arrest were self-contradictory. At first, they denied detaining the reporter. Later, they accused the reporter of being a demonstrator. He said the purpose of the lawsuit was to c! larify w hat truly happened and demand that the court uphold justice.

He said that this was the first case filed by a reporter in Hong Kong against the police chief for illegal detention and suppression of the freedom of the press. He hoped the case can serve as a deterrent to the police. The goal is to stand up for the freedom of the press, Mr. Ho said.

Ms. Choy showed pictures of her conducting an interview on the day of her arrest. She said she was willing to step forward to safeguard press freedom in Hong Kong. She said that illegal arrests must be stopped, because Now I was arrested for conducting an interview. Later other reporters will suffer the same fate.

Ms. Choy is an intern reporter with the New York-based NTD Television. When the police were clearing out demonstrators on July 1, she was detained as a demonstrator and kept for more than 10 hours.

The director of NTDTV in Hong Kong strongly condemned her arrest. The Hong Kong Journalists Association and International Federation of Journalists both expressed great concern and demanded an explanation from the police. Human Rights Watch criticized the action and suggested that discrimination may be a factor. Amnesty International also held a press conference to voice its concern.

Read the original Chinese article.

chinareports@epochtimes.com !




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