Stand News chief weeps over arrests

Jane Cheung

Former Stand News editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen broke into tears in District Court yesterday as he recalled the arrests of his wife, former Apple Daily associate publisher Chan Pui-man, and his successor Patrick Lam Shiu-tung.

The 53-year-old Chung said he "felt the pressure getting closer" after the arrests of former Apple Daily senior executives including his wife in June 2021.

In his defense before District Judge Kwok Wai-kin yesterday, the ex-editor-in-chief of the now-defunct news website said Stand News had always welcomed contributors, and that hundreds of bloggers had written for the outlet.

Chung and Lam along with the news outlet's mother company, Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited, are charged with conspiracy to publish and copy 17 seditious articles between July 7, 2020, and December 29, 2021.

They have all pleaded not guilty.

Since the implementation of the national security law in mid-2020, Stand News had prohibited the publication of content encouraging independence for Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang and Tibet, he said.

But to stick to editorial principles, the outlet still allowed publication of comments advocating a change of regime and constitutional reform.

"From my understanding, these are allowed after 1997," he said. "The national security law stated freedom of speech should not be harmed."

Chung broke into tears when he recalled the arrest of his wife and seven other ex-Apple Daily executives in June 2021, and Kwok ordered a break in the court.

Chung said he wanted to protect his company and colleagues as much as possible so he decided to remove all commentaries published on the website before May that year.

He said he did not think the articles were problematic, but his team could no longer distinguish which articles were considered illegal.

Defense lawyer and senior counsel Audrey Eu Yuet-mee asked why he stayed as the editor-in-chief despite the increasing pressure, to which Chung said: "I think I have done nothing wrong from the very beginning and that I don't deserve being sued."

But in October 2021, he wanted to focus on taking care of his wife, who was in custody for collusion, and came up with several proposals, including folding the company, which he was reluctant to do.

"My wife is already in custody and my other family members don't want me to get in too," he sobbed.

At the time, 34-year-old Lam stepped up and said he could take on Chung's position as the acting editor-in-chief. "I felt so sorry. He was not in charge of the articles but he was charged," Chung said. "It's a hit for me that I could not protect all my colleagues."

The hearing continues today.

jane.cheung@singtaonewscorp.com