Eight journalist organisations will take part in a rally next Monday in support of Ming Pao’s former executive chief editor, Keung Kwok-yuen.
Keung was controversially fired shortly after the newspaper published a detailed report on the Panama Papers leaks last Wednesday.
“Anyone who is concerned about press freedom is welcome to join,” the Hong Kong Journalists Association said. It will be held on May 2nd outside the Ming Pao newspaper headquarters in Chai Wan.
Keung was known for his weekly long-term analysis column in the newspaper under his pen name On Yu. His dismissal has drawn much controversy and criticism from the Ming Pao Staff Association, lawmakers and media unions alike for what has been perceived as an act of editorial censorship. Columnists and cartoonists at the paper have been publishing blank columns in the paper for the past several days in protest.
Ming Pao staff have also threatened industrial action over the incident.
The rally will be jointly hosted by the Hong Kong Journalists Association, the Hong Kong Press Photographers’ Association, the Independent Commentators Association, Journalism Educators for Press Freedom, the International Federation of Journalists, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club Hong Kong, the RTHK Programme Staff Union and Next Media Trade Union.
