Hong Kong Court Convicts Dow Jones Over Deterrence of Journalist's Union Role
A Hong Kong court found Dow Jones guilty of attempting to deter journalist Selina Cheng from assuming a role in a trade union. However, the court acquitted the publisher of charges related to her dismissal, which Cheng claimed was unjust.
Sources
A Hong Kong court convicted Dow Jones for attempting to deter journalist Selina Cheng from taking a union role but acquitted the publisher on charges related to her dismissal, which she claimed was unlawful due to her position with the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA). The judge criticized Dow Jones' requirement for prior permission to take a union role as an "unjustified deterrent," highlighting the importance of protecting employment rights, which could result in fines of up to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars ($12,755) for employers found guilty. Cheng, who was fired in July 2024 and previously filed a complaint with the Labour Department, emphasized the risks journalists face when their employment rights are not safeguarded, amid declining media freedom in Hong Kong since the imposition of the national security law in 2020.
A Hong Kong court convicted Dow Jones Publishing, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, of one count of deterring reporter Selina Cheng from taking a trade union role, while acquitting it of a second charge related to discrimination. Cheng was dismissed just weeks after being appointed chair of the Hong Kong Journalist Association in 2024, with her employer claiming the termination was due to restructuring despite concerns about press freedom and employment rights in the city. Since the introduction of the national security law in 2020, Hong Kong's global press freedom ranking has plummeted from 73rd to 140th out of 180 countries and territories by 2026.