WSJ Publisher Convicted of Deterring Journalist Union Role in HK

A Hong Kong court has convicted the publisher of the Wall Street Journal of deterring a reporter from taking a trade union role, raising concerns about press freedom in the city. The decision followed Selina Cheng’s dismissal after she was appointed chair of the Hong Kong Journalist Association (HKJA) in 2024.

Cheng, who covered China’s automotive and energy sectors for the WSJ, was told her termination was due to restructuring. She alleged her editor warned that employees should not be seen as advocating for press freedom in places like Hong Kong and that the company sought to prevent her from serving as HKJA chair. Cheng launched a private prosecution after losing her job in July 2024.

Principal magistrate David Cheung ruled that Dow Jones Publishing was guilty of preventing or deterring an employee from exercising trade union rights but acquitted it of dismissing or discriminating because of those rights. The charges carry a maximum fine of HK$100,000. The company pleaded not guilty to both counts. Cheung said Cheng’s termination was motivated by a wrongful application of the company’s code of conduct when it required prior approval to stand as HKJA chair.

The ruling alarmed journalists in a city where press freedom has declined sharply since the 2020 national security law. Eric Lai, a senior fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said the WSJ set a bad precedent by punishing an employee exercising constitutionally protected rights. The WSJ denied a link between Cheng’s union role and her dismissal, stating it remains a vocal advocate for press freedom. HKJA, the oldest journalist union in Hong Kong, has faced increasing pressure since the law’s introduction.