Info

Index on Censorship magazine podcasts

Index on Censorship defends people’s freedom to express themselves without fear of harm or persecution. We talk about freedom of expression issues around the world
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Index on Censorship magazine podcasts
2022
June


2021
May
March
February
January


2020
December
November
January


2019
September
June
April
March


2018
December
September


All Episodes
Archives
Now displaying: June, 2022
Jun 30, 2022

Six months after the handover of Hong Kong from British rule, Index on Censorship published a special edition: Hong Kong Goes Back. In it various people predicted what the future might hold. Jonathan Mirsky, then East Asia editor of The Times, wrote on how freedom of expression began to crumble in Hong Kong in anticipation of the handover. He described how news channels reported on China in a “vapid or grovelling” manner, democratic politicians spoke of their colleagues no longer wanting to be associated with them and organisations were expected to plan celebrations for the handover. Mirsky predicted a dismal future where loyalty to Beijing would be an overriding expectation.

Twenty-five years later his predictions have sadly been realised. The situation is grave, perhaps even worse than Mirksy's fears. Just how grave? Are there any freedoms left? And what can we, over in the UK, do to help?

A panel of people who all once called Hong Kong home will share their thoughts and experiences. On the panel will be Benedict Rogers, the CEO of Hong Kong Watch, Hong Kong journalist Kris Cheng, Mark Clifford, President of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, Evan Fowler, a writer and researcher on Hong Kong and China, and activist and author Nathan Law. The discussion will be chaired by Index on Censorship's current magazine editor, Jemimah Steinfeld, who has lived in China.

This event is organised in partnership with the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong.

1