Across Southeast Asia, the free and independent press is under unprecedented attack from governments hostile to the thought of allowing their citizens to read the truth.
“The press freedom situation is dire across Asia, with different factors motivating different types and degrees of crackdowns. There are few places, if any, in the region where it’s safe to be a journalist these days,” said Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia representative for the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.
As Crispin pointed out in a speech to regional ambassadors in Bangkok earlier this week, that attack is particularly acute in Thailand, where new restrictive guidelines for receiving and renewing foreign media work visas are to come into effect on March 21 that could effectively end the longstanding role of the country as a benign host for freelance reporters and photographers, among other things. But it is hardly limited to Bangkok, where arguably the region’s most repressive regime has taken over the reins of government.
In Hong Kong, Chinese surrogates have simply bought up an increasing portion of the mainstream press including in December the once-influential South China Morning Post, which was purchased by Alibaba tycoon Jack Ma, who has stated publicly that he deplores what he considers negative reporting on China. The Post’s coverage has turned xenophobic over aspirations by so-called “localists” who are pushing back against Beijing’s embrace of the territory. Full story...
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“The press freedom situation is dire across Asia, with different factors motivating different types and degrees of crackdowns. There are few places, if any, in the region where it’s safe to be a journalist these days,” said Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia representative for the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.
As Crispin pointed out in a speech to regional ambassadors in Bangkok earlier this week, that attack is particularly acute in Thailand, where new restrictive guidelines for receiving and renewing foreign media work visas are to come into effect on March 21 that could effectively end the longstanding role of the country as a benign host for freelance reporters and photographers, among other things. But it is hardly limited to Bangkok, where arguably the region’s most repressive regime has taken over the reins of government.
In Hong Kong, Chinese surrogates have simply bought up an increasing portion of the mainstream press including in December the once-influential South China Morning Post, which was purchased by Alibaba tycoon Jack Ma, who has stated publicly that he deplores what he considers negative reporting on China. The Post’s coverage has turned xenophobic over aspirations by so-called “localists” who are pushing back against Beijing’s embrace of the territory. Full story...
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