The British magazine published an editorial on January 8 headlined ‘Pliant patriots’, with the subheadline, ‘Hong Kong’s new legislature has been sworn in. It is a mockery of democracy’
The Hong Kong city skyline. Picture: 123RF/SEAN PAVONE The Hong Kong government has criticised the Economist magazine over an article about the city's recent Legislative Council election, saying it is “appalled by the biased reporting” and “baseless accusation that the polls were rigged”.
Hong Kong’s second most senior official, John Lee, denounced what he said was a serious but baseless accusation by the Economist that the poll was rigged. Since then, more than 150 democracy activists, newspaper editors and journalists have been arrested and the clampdown on one of Asia’s most vibrant media hubs has sent a chill through the global financial centre.