HONG KONG- Due to the "dangerous" political climate and the freezing of its bank account, Citizens' Radio, an online pro-democracy station in Hong Kong, will halt its operations on Friday. Founded in 2005 by activist Tsang Kin-shing, the Cantonese-language broadcaster gained popularity for its bold talk shows that openly criticized authorities and its ongoing advocacy for press freedom.

The closure of Citizens' Radio in Hong Kong adds to the decline of media diversity, following the shutdown of other liberal outlets due to the national security law imposed by China. Founder Tsang Kin-shing cited increasing pressures, including crackdowns on dissent and arrests of activists, as reasons for suspending broadcasting. He highlighted the challenges of finding guests and the presence of red lines in the political climate. The radio station's bank account has been frozen, leading to financial difficulties with rent payments only secured until August. Critics argue that while Hong Kong authorities claim to respect media freedoms, they are suppressing dissent and justifying their actions based on the 2019 protests' perceived threat to the city's economic stability.

Hong Kong's media freedom has significantly deteriorated, as reflected in the annual global media freedom index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Hong Kong's ranking dropped from 73 to 140 out of 180 following the enactment of the national security law in 2020. RSF's East Asia director, Cédric Alviani, expressed concern over the potential shutdown of Citizens' Radio, emphasizing its crucial role in Hong Kong's independent broadcasting landscape. He described it as an irreplaceable loss for media diversity.

Although Citizens' Radio applied for a broadcasting license in 2005, it was never granted one. The station was later raided by the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) for allegedly using an illegal radio transmitter for FM broadcasting. However, the station continued its operations online. In 2019, the radio station was targeted by four masked individuals who vandalized the premises with bats and hammers. No arrests were made in connection with the incident.

OFCA, in response to a Reuters inquiry, declined to comment on the closure of Citizens' Radio or the erosion of press freedom. They stated that the radio station operated on the internet and was not a licensed sound broadcaster according to telecommunications laws. The founder of Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai, and the newspaper itself face a national security case scheduled to begin in September. Lai, a prominent critic of China, could potentially receive a life sentence. In October, a verdict will be delivered in the sedition trial involving two editors from the now-defunct Stand News.

Under the "one country, two systems" agreement, Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the intention of preserving its freedoms for 50 years.