A Hong Kong court issued a partial conviction against Dow Jones Publishing, the publisher of the U.S.-based Wall Street Journal. The court found the publisher guilty of trying to prevent former reporter Selina Cheng from taking a leadership role in a local journalists’ union.
However, Chief Judge David Cheung rejected the allegation that Cheng’s dismissal after she was elected president of the Hong Kong Journalists Association in 2024 was unlawful, and acquitted the publisher of that charge.
Cheng filed a private prosecution
Cheng, who was elected president of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, filed a private prosecution against Dow Jones Publishing. She argued that her dismissal in July 2024 was connected to her participation in the union.
The former reporter said her employer had tried to discourage her from holding office in the union and asked that the company be charged with “taking an action intended to prevent or discourage her from joining a union” and dismissing her because of her participation in the union. The case was heard under Hong Kong’s Employment Ordinance on these two charges.
Company cited redundancy as the reason
Dow Jones Publishing cited redundancy as the reason for Cheng’s dismissal in July 2024. The company also moved its news hub in Asia from Hong Kong to Singapore during the same period.
Hong Kong’s employment regulations allow employers to be fined up to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, approximately 12,753 U.S. dollars, for each of these charges. Dow Jones Publishing denied the allegations.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association has faced increasing pressure in recent years targeting local independent media organizations and their employees. The pressure has included tax inspections.
