Another Chinese Pro-Democracy Media Outlet Shuts Down Due to CCP Censorship.

On Jan. 3, a Hong Kong independent online newspaper announced its decision to close was prompted by the recent closure of Stand News, and that their journalists no longer felt secure under law enforcement’s ambiguous rules.

Citizens News, a digital newsroom formed in 2017 by a group of senior journalists, announced its abrupt closure on Sunday, stating that it will cease updating its website at midnight on January 4 and shut thereafter.

The online news organization, which had protected journalists from the now-defunct pro-democracy Apple Daily, claimed it could no longer function due to “rapid changes in society in the last two years and the deterioration of the media environment.” The decision, according to Stand News, was made to guarantee the safety of its employees.

Chris Yeung, Citizen News’ lead writer, told reporters on Monday that the recent proceedings against Stand News were the catalyst.

On Dec. 29, almost 200 national security officers stormed the Stand News headquarters, seized its assets, and detained seven current and former executives on suspicion of violating a colonial-era legislation prohibiting “conspiracy to publish seditious publications.” After a few hours, the independent online publication announced its closure and fired all of its employees.

After being formally charged with sedition on Dec. 30, two of those detained were denied bail.

“We tried our best not to infringe the law, but we can no longer clearly grasp the lines of law enforcement,” said Yeung, a former president of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA).

“Journalists are humans too and have families and friends,” said Yeung, “In an environment where we cannot work safely, it’s time to consider this question seriously. Journalists don’t want to be in this dilemma because of their work.”

He claimed law enforcement hasn’t approached the outlet yet, but several opinions published by persons knowledgeable with the situation have suggested that online media sites will be the next target.

“What changed is not us, but the outside, objective environment,” Citizen News Chief Editor Daisy Li explained.

“Can we work on some safe news’?” says the narrator. Li stated to the press. “I don’t even know what is safe news.”

When Citizen News announced the closing on Sunday, it noted, “We all love this place, deeply.” and  “Regrettably, what was ahead of us is not just pouring rains or blowing winds, but hurricanes and tsunamis.”

The former British colony, which was returned to Beijing in 1997, was formerly recognized as a safe haven for dissidents, press freedom, and openness rarely seen on the mainland. However, in the previous two years, Beijing’s communist dictatorship has tightened its grip, resulting in the shutdown of independent news sources, the destruction of monuments, and a thinly attended election won by pro-Beijing officials.

Citizens News’ loss was “deeply saddened and regretted,” the HKJA stated in a statement on Monday.

The HKJA’s current president, Ronson Chan, was concerned that the shutdown of Citizens News and Stand News would start off a chain reaction, since the two significant online magazines could no longer withstand the pressure.

“We may face a disaster of press freedom,” Chan told The Epoch Times Hong Kong Edition.

Chan was detained on Dec. 29 as the former deputy assignment editor of the now-defunct Stand News. After a few hours, he was freed.

Citizen News is the third news agency to go out of business in the last six months. After 500 police invaded its newsroom, imprisoned five executives, and froze significant assets, Apple Daily, which was regularly critical of the city’s leadership and the communist authorities in Beijing, printed its final edition last summer. Authorities believe that dozens of pieces in the newspaper may have breached a national security policy.

Jimmy Lai, the creator of Apple Daily, is presently serving a 20-month sentence for participating in pro-democracy rallies in 2019. On Dec. 28, Lai was charged with further “seditious publications” allegations, and he is currently facing three national security accusations.

Independent reporting has become increasingly impossible as a result of the Chinese Communist Party’s comprehensive National Security Law, which was implemented on Hong Kong. The law has resulted in the arrest of journalists and political activists, as well as the disbanding of civil rights organizations and labor unions. Many more activists have left the country.

Pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong Nathan Law used Twitter to rally support for the city’s press freedom.

On Sunday, Law tweeted, “Independent news outlets in Hong Kong are closing down one by one,” “The government is abusing a draconian colonial law that has not been used for more than FIVE decades to prosecute journalists. Please support press freedom in Hong Kong.”

It should come as no surprise to anyone who pays attention to global politics that this is happening. However, one could speculate and say that tensions across the board are running higher than ever for the Chinese Communist Party. Something has got to give, America is no longer able to turn a blind eye from persecution due to the rapid spread of information in this digital age. The question remains, who will stop the CCP from committing further violations against human rights, and how much longer until that takes place?

1 Peter 4:12-14 says: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Stay inquisitive in the word of God, and the world around you.”

President Joe Biden has recently said that the COVID-19 epidemic has “no federal remedy.”

At a meeting with the National Governors Association (NGA) and the White House COVID-19 reaction team on Dec. 27, Biden noted, “This gets solved at the state level.”

“It ultimately gets down to where the rubber meets the road and that’s where the patient is in need of help or preventing the need for help,” he said, “and that’s where the patient is in need of help or preventing the need for help,”

This is coming from a president who campaigned on the promise of “beating the virus” and “bringing it under control.”

Biden continues to describe the newly discovered Omicron variation as a subject of concern rather than panic.

The nation has seen an uptick of COVID cases in recent weeks among both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations as a result of the variant, which is now the dominant strain of COVID in the United States.

Biden also continues to assert that the nation is not in the same place it was in March of 2020 when the pandemic began. He, along with federal health officials, continue to tout vaccines as being effective protection from hospitalization and death from COVID.

In recent days, Biden has moved to increase the number of vaccine sites around the nation and increased spending on COVID tests by $3 billion.

He conceded Monday that it was still “tough” for some folks to get a COVID test over Christmas weekend saying there’s “still more work to do.”

Biden again on Monday referenced the federal stockpile of personal protective equipment and expressed concern over a rise in hospitalizations saying the federal government is “prepared.”

As a result of the variant, which is now the “dominant” strain of COVID in the United States, the country has experienced an increase in COVID cases in recent weeks among both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.

Biden also maintains that the country is not in the same situation it was when the outbreak began in March of 2020. He, together with government health “experts”, continues to promote inoculations as effective protection against COVID-related hospitalization and mortality.

Biden has recently taken steps to expand the number of immunization locations around the country and to raise funding on COVID tests by $3 billion.

He said Monday that getting a COVID test over the Christmas weekend was still “difficult” for some people, adding that “there’s still more work to do.”

Biden mentioned the federal stockpile of personal protective equipment and expressed concern about an increase in hospitalizations again on Monday, saying the government is “prepared.”

According to a White House readout of the meeting, the group discussed a variety of topics after the president’s public remarks, including the latest science on the Omicron variant, the use and distribution of COVID-19 treatments, expanding federal testing partnerships and resources, and keeping the nation’s schools open.

Biden told reporters after the meeting that the bipartisan group of governors “did not tell me they’re worried, but they thanked me for the cooperation they’re getting.” They simply want to know what we think is going to happen from here.”

Governors had concerns for White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci regarding new domestic air flying regulations, according to Biden.

Fauci has said recently the U.S. government should consider vaccine requirements for domestic air travel.

Effectively Biden is calling for systematic enforcement of regulations to be imposed upon those who choose observe & maintain their medical autonomy. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 says “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” If they had any respect for us, they’d leave us be. Stay inquisitive in the word of God, and the world around you.