Freedom of Expression in Hong Kong?

ASSOCIATED PRESS SERVICE

Hong Kong Conference Participants Denied Entry,International Organisations Condemn Government¹s DecisionOrganisers of a major conference in Hong Kong on freedom of expression inChina today (Wednesday) condemned a decision by the Hong Kong government todeny entry to a noted editor and to Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot, whose"Pillar of Shame' is a memorial to the victims of the Tiananmen Squaremassacre.The organisers, including the Paris-based World Association of Newspapers,said that Zhang Yu, a Swedish-based editor and coordinator of the Writers inPrison Committee of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre, and Mr Galschiot andtwo of his colleagues, were denied entry to Hong Kong to participate in the"One Dream: Free Expression in China" conference.It was the third time that Mr Zhang, who holds a valid Chinese passport, hasbeen denied entry to his homeland since February 2007, based on an oraldecision for "activism" allegedly endangering national security because ofhis PEN activities."To close Hong Kong's borders to people who were invited to participate inan international conference is further evidence that freedom of expressionis under attack and discussion about China's policies is unwelcome," saidTimothy Balding, CEO of WAN. "It also serves notice to those who believethat Hong Kong's freedoms will have a positive influence on China, or that'engagement' with China will magically convince the authorities to changetheir practices."The conference, from 30 April through 3 May, World Press Freedom Day,coincides with the Olympic Torch Relay through Hong Kong.