Convicted Hong Kong journalist wins press award for investigation
May 6, 2021, 10:01 am

Convicted Hong Kong journalist wins press award for investigation

Bao Choy Yuk-Ling, a freelance journalist with RTHK, poses for pictures outside West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts as she arrives for charges of making a false statement to obtain data for a documentary on the police's handling of a mob attack, in Hong Kong, China April 22, 2021. (File photo: Reuters)

A Hong Kong journalist who was prosecuted over investigating an attack on democracy supporters by government loyalists won a prestigious press prize on Thursday, even after her employer backed out of the awards.

Bao Choy, a former producer with Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK, was found guilty last month of “knowingly making a false statement” to access number plate ownership records -- a conviction that was decried by media groups as an assault on public interest journalism.

On Thursday, Choy and five colleagues won the Chinese-language documentary award at the annual Human Rights Press Awards for their work “Who Owns the Truth?”.

The awards recognize human rights reporting across Asia and have been running for 25 years.

Judges praised the RTHK documentary for “chasing the smallest clues, interrogating the powerful without fear or favor”, and described the 23-minute documentary as “an investigative reporting classic”.

The July 2019 attack in the district of Yuen Long by a gang of men armed with clubs -- and the police’s failure to respond quickly enough -- was a turning point in the huge and often violent pro-democracy protests that year, further hammering public trust in the police force and city leaders.

RTHK used footage from witnesses and security cameras -- as well as number plate searches and interviews -- to piece together events.

It uncovered new details about the alleged attackers, some of whom have links to politically influential rural committees that support Beijing.

It also said that police failed to respond to the build-up of stick-wielding men, ferried into the district by specific vehicles that evening hours before the attack.

Police have rejected any accusation their officers failed the public that night and senior officers have since sought to recast the ambush as an evenly matched melee between two opposing sides.

Hong Kong maintains a publicly accessible license plate database long used by journalists, including pro-Beijing news outlets.

But authorities introduced a rule change that meant journalists were no longer allowed to make searches.

Choy, 37, faced up to six months in jail but was ultimately fined HK$6,000 ($770). She plans to appeal her conviction.

Beijing has made no secret of its desire to see Hong Kong’s critical media tamed and RTHK has increasingly found itself a government target.

Authorities have ordered an overhaul of the broadcaster, including the recent appointment of a career civil servant as its new head who has since pulled multiple shows for “one-sided views” and “inaccuracies”.

RTHK suspended Choy after her November arrest and did not contribute to her legal defense.

It also announced it had withdrawn from all press award entries but many award organizations, including HRPA, declined to accept the withdrawal.

Earlier this week RTHK fired reporter Nabela Qoser who had become famous for her aggressive questioning of officials at press conferences.

source: AFP

Image source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.