The

International Federation of Journalists joins its affiliate the Hong Kong

Journalists Association (HKJA), and other local media organisations in

welcoming the not guilty verdict passed down in the case of photographer Sing

Kai-Chung on December 7.

Over

thirty people including representatives of the IFJ, the HKJA, the Hong Kong

Photographers Association and the Apple Daily Union attended the hearing in

support of former Apple Daily photo-journalist Sing

Kai-Chung, who was found

not guilty of common assault by the Eastern

Magistrate of Hong Kong.

The IFJ had previously reported that Sing Kai-Chung was charged with common assault

for allegedly pushing a security guard to the ground outside the Government

Headquarters building in Hong Kong on January

9.

The HKJA

and other local media organisations protested in support of Sing on September

28, claiming that the incident and charge was a result of restrictive

regulations that prevent media from reporting outside the Hong Kong Government

Headquarters.

The

Apple Daily Union Chairperson Edward Li Ka-Chung has repeatedly sent letters

requesting a  meeting with Miss Kitty

Choi, Director of Administrative Wing of the Hong Kong Government Headquarter

Building and the Legislative Council, to discuss the current restrictions and

seek amendments which would allow the press to report more freely in the

public’s interest.

“We

welcome the verdict in Mr Sing’s case but renew the call to lift restrictions

that prevent the media from reporting in the public interest from outside the Government Headquarters

Building” said the IFJ Asia Pacific Office.

For

further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0950 

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131

countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific