Hong Kong journalists may legally challenge the police’s decision to change the definition of “media representatives” to include only those registered with the government, as they say the move may contravene the city’s mini constitution.

The move goes against the Basic Law, which protects press freedom in the semi-autonomous city, said Chris Yeung, chairperson of Hong Kong Journalists Association. Yeung said the association would seek legal advice over the matter.

The police announced on Tuesday that they would redefine journalists as those registered with the Government News and Media Information System, disregarding memberships issued by HKJA and Hong Kong Press Photographers Association.

Yeung said during a radio program on Wednesday that HKJA had not been consulted about the police’s decision and that the police had failed to explain why a redefinition was needed. The police’s decision would imply de-facto official accreditation and would damage the public’s right to be informed, he added.

Journalism educators from seven Hong Kong universities and institutions also issued a statement on Wednesday to express their “gravest reservations” over the police’s redefinition of the term “media representatives” as student journalists would not be allowed into press zones following the revision.

“As part of their education, our students have been covering newsworthy happenings, and they follow the same code of ethics as professionals do by acting fairly and honestly,” the statement read.

“We cannot accept that they would be barred from covering certain newsworthy events merely because the student or independent media they work for are not registered with the GNMIS.”

The police’s redefinition was a move designed to silence student journalists, some of whom had captured footage and events during Hong Kong’s ongoing social unrest that had not been covered by mainstream media, according to a joint-statement by student publications in 14 universities and higher institutions.

The Foreign Correspondents' Club also described the move as “another step in the erosion of Hong Kong’s once cherished press freedom as it would give the police — rather than reporters and editors — the power to determine who covers the police.”

Chief Superintendent Kwok Ka-chuen said on Wednesday that he had heard some positive comments regarding the definition change. However, he failed to name any media organizations that supported the revision.

“You can look at today’s news reports,” he said, without providing any specifics.

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