Press
freedom further declined in Hong Kong in 2015, driven by growing
self-censorship and government interference as Beijing expands its
influence over the city's boisterous media, a new report said Saturday.
The
southern Chinese city prides itself on having relative freedom of
expression compared with severely restricted reporting in mainland
China, a legacy of Britain's handover of power in 1997.
"Press
freedom in China, Hong Kong and Macau deteriorated further in 2015, as
the Communist Party of China used every means at its disposal to control
the media," the International Federation of Journalists' China Press
Freedom Report said.
The
report comes at a time when the fate of five booksellers, feared to
have been detained in mainland China after disappearing late last year
have put residents on edge with concerns the semi-autonomous city's
freedoms are being eroded.
The five are from Hong Kong's Mighty Current publishing house, known for salacious titles critical of Beijing leaders.
"There
has been strong outcry from the Hong Kong people, with many concerned
about their personal safety and freedom of speech," the report said of
sentiment after the disappearances.
The
report also predicted China's ruling Communist Party will use resources
to strengthen its influence in the city, which will hold elections for
its legislature later in the year and for a new leader in 2017.
"As
Hong Kong goes to elections next year the party is also using its
considerable wealth to consolidate its influence over the region," it
said.
Last
year's report warned of "intervention behind the scenes" at a time when
tensions remained high after more than two months of mass protests for
fully free leadership elections in late 2014.
Ken
Tsang, a pro-democracy activist who was allegedly beaten by police
during the protests in an attack captured by television cameras and
beamed around the world said the situation in Hong Kong was "terrible".
"Maybe
we can say we have lots of freedoms but somebody is threating you at
your back, I think all Hong Kong citizens can feel that," Tsang told AFP
after a court hearing on Thursday.
"The situation is not that good, we are terrified," he said.
A
British colony until 1997, Hong Kong is ruled under a "one country, two
systems" deal that allows it far greater civil liberties than those
enjoyed on the Chinese mainland, including freedom of speech and the
right to protest.
The
report, presented at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club, also
called the outlook in 2016 for the rest of mainland China "even worse".
Chinese
authorities have detained and harassed reporters, used forced
television confessions and other methods in limiting and influencing
reporting, the report said.
