Hong Kong’s pro-democracy on-line radio station Residents’ Radio aired their last broadcast on Friday, with the founder expressing hardships below “harmful” political surroundings. Tsang Kin-shing, a veteran political activist, wrote within the closing Facebook post of the radio station about their difficulties confronted since pro-democracy actions within the metropolis in 2014 and 2019.
Underneath the stringent National Security Law imposed by the Chinese language authorities in 2020, the station’s checking account was “frozen,” which means the station might solely afford the hire up by means of August. “We might do nothing however to cease the broadcasting,” stated Tsang on the finish of the submit.
Within the press conference earlier than the ultimate present, Tsang instructed reporters of the obstacles the station confronted in inviting visitor audio system. Tsang stated, “If we invite company, they might not have the ability to communicate freely, as a result of there are such a lot of pink strains.” He additionally commented that radio broadcasting ought to by no means be dominated by the authorities and that having civil disobedience in Hong Kong is more durable than ever.
Tsang began the Cantonese radio station in 2005. It has gained almost 8,000 followers and likes for its crucial content material on Hong Kong authorities and energy on striving for press freedom. The station has been working and not using a license, no matter its software for a broadcasting allow in 2005. Then, in 2016, Hong Kong’s Workplace of the Communications Authority raided the station for its alleged unlawful radio transmission and broadcasting. Since then, Residents’ Radio switched their platform to on-line.
Source / Picture: jurist.org
