Selina Cheng, a former Wall Street Journal reporter and chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, took the witness stand Monday to accuse Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia) Inc. of terminating her employment because of her union activities.
The Testimony
Cheng began her case in July 2024 after losing her job. She said she believed the dismissal was linked to her refusal to withdraw from a union election, rather than the newspaper’s restructuring, as she had been told. In the courtroom, she recounted:
- “She said my participation in the union election was problematic and she said she needed to discuss this with Wall Street Journal management in New York and also with legal,” Cheng told the judge.
- She also said her supervisor took issue with her running in the election.
- Cheng added that the company told her she needed to seek the firm’s approval for outside activities and requested she leave her then-board position.
Cheng denied that her primary motivation was a large financial settlement. “I want to hold employers accountable for law violations,” she said on Monday.
Legal Charges
Dow Jones faces two charges under Hong Kong’s Employment Ordinance. The company pleaded not guilty to both. Each charge carries a maximum fine of 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $12,850). The first charge alleges the company prevented or deterred an employee from exercising union participation rights. The second alleges the company terminated employment, penalised, or discriminated against an employee for exercising those rights.
The trial will resume on Tuesday.
Company’s Response
A Dow Jones representative, Benson Tsoi, had accused Cheng of abusing the criminal process and acting in bad faith last week. Tsoi highlighted emails that showed Cheng demanding 3 million Hong Kong dollars ($385,500) as settlement or reinstatement with a formal apology. He noted that while Cheng had told the Labor Tribunal she did not intend to settle out of court, the emails suggested she had pressed for mediation with the company.
Broader Context
Cheng’s dismissal has alarmed journalists in Hong Kong, a city that has seen a sharp decline in press freedom since Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020. Apple Daily and Stand News, both critical of the government, were forced to shut down after their senior management were arrested, including Apple Daily publisher Jimmy Lai. Lai was convicted under the security law last Monday, facing up to life in prison. While the government insists his case has nothing to do with press freedom, rights groups expressed concerns. Amnesty International said the conviction “feels like the death knell for press freedom in Hong Kong.”
Two former editors at Stand News were also convicted in August 2024, the first journalists found guilty of sedition under a separate law since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule.
Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 after some 150 years under British control, was once considered a bastion of press freedom in Asia. Yet the ability of the media to operate there has seen drastic changes. Foreign outlets have traditionally faced less pressure than local news outlets, but the environment is increasingly restrictive.
Hong Kong ranked 140th out of 180 countries and territories in Reporters Without Borders’ latest World Press Freedom Index, down from 80 in 2021.
Key Takeaways
- Selina Cheng is suing Dow Jones for alleged union-related dismissal.
- Dow Jones faces two Employment Ordinance charges, each with a maximum fine of 100,000 HKD.
- The case highlights growing concerns over press freedom in Hong Kong.
The courtroom drama continues as the trial resumes on Tuesday, drawing attention to the legal and political tensions surrounding journalists in Hong Kong.
