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SOPA condemns the Myanmar military’s continued oppression of journalists
The Society of Publishers in Asia condemns the Myanmar military’s continued actions against press freedom and the media industry in the country. Since the February coup, at least 83 journalists have been arrested, with 47 still in detention. Others have been issued arrest warrants or charged. Eight media organizations have had their licenses revoked, according…
Read MoreFinalists of SOPA 2021 Journalism Awards Announced Michelle Bachelet, UN Human Rights Commissioner, to Give Keynote Address
Hong Kong, May 25, 2021 – The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to pursuing excellence in journalism, today announced the finalists for the SOPA 2021 Awards for Editorial Excellence (full list here). International, regional and local media outlets from around the world submitted more than 760 entries in…
Read MoreSOPA condemns the Myanmar military’s attempt to stifle press freedom
The Society of Publishers in Asia condemns recent action by Myanmar’s military that threatens press freedom and the media industry in the country. These actions, taken in the wake of the military coup on February 1st, include: -Stripping the licenses from five leading media companies: Mizzima, Myanmar Now, 7-Day, DVB, and Khit Thit Media…
Read MoreThe Society of Publishers in Asia registers concern with Facebook’s removal of news in Australia
The Society of Publishers in Asia registers with concern Facebook’s decision to remove news content from its platform in Australia in response to proposed government regulations. We find it troubling that Facebook – which has not found a meaningful solution to prevent the dissemination of harmful misinformation across its platform due to its commitment to…
Read MoreSOPA Urges Myanmar Military to Reverse Information Crackdown
Early this week, the Myanmar military staged a coup against a democratically elected civilian government and arrested leading politicians, including Aung San Suu Kyi. Amid protests in Yangon and strikes by healthcare staff, the military has disrupted internet and television services and today ordered local telecom firms to block access to Facebook until February 7,…
Read MoreThe Society of Publishers in Asia elects Coconuts Media CEO Byron Perry as new Chairman and announces 2021 Board / 亞洲出版業協會推選Coconuts Media行政總裁Byron Perry為新任主席並公佈2021年度董事會成員名單
Hong Kong, January 19, 2021 – The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to pursuing excellence in journalism, has announced the election of Byron Perry, the founder and CEO of Coconuts Media, as its new Chairman at its 38th Annual General Meeting. Perry, based in Singapore, is the first…
Read MoreSOPA urges Vietnam to respect press freedom, release jailed journalists
The Society of Publishers in Asia, SOPA, notes with concern Vietnam’s recent crackdown on independent media and in particular the harsh sentences handed down to journalists who have been critical of the government. Just last week, three journalists, Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan, were found guilty of spreading anti-state…
Read MoreSOPA Calls on China to Provide Details on Bloomberg Staffer Detention
The Society of Publishers in Asia notes with concern reports of the detention of Haze Fan, a member of Bloomberg’s Beijing newsroom. Fan was last seen December 7 as she was escorted from her apartment building, according to a Bloomberg report. Chinese authorities have said that Fan was detained on suspicion of endangering national security…
Read MoreSOPA calls on Hong Kong authorities to reverse change in accreditation process
The Society of Publishers in Asia is extremely concerned about the recent decision by the Hong Kong Police Force to change the definition of media representatives. SOPA calls on the authorities to reverse the change and restore independent accreditation as is practice elsewhere. While accreditation processes are common in many jurisdictions, they exist to…
Read MoreSOPA Statement following meeting with Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung/「亞洲出版業協會要求政府撤回逃犯條例收訂草案」
(Please scroll below for Chinese) The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) met with Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary for Administration, Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, this afternoon to discuss the government’s extradition bill which, if passed, would allow people accused of crimes to be sent from the city for trial in mainland China, Taiwan and other…
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