Dismissed Wall Street Journal Reporter Selina Cheng
Open letter urging WSJ’s explanation for dismissing HKJA chair Selina Cheng
19 July 2024
(中文版如下)
Dear Ms Tucker,
We are a group of overseas Hongkonger organisations or international organisations
concerned about Hong Kong’s human rights situation. On 17 July, Selina Cheng, the
chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, announced to the media that she had
been dismissed by The Wall Street Journal. According to Cheng, her supervisor
pressured her, stating that her duty as HKJA chair and her position as a reporter for
The Wall Street Journal were ‘incompatible’. She was asked to withdraw from the
HKJA executive committee election, citing the reason that employees of The Wall
Street Journal should not promote press freedom in places like Hong Kong. The
incident raises suspicions that after failing to pressurise Cheng to withdraw from the
union election, The Wall Street Journal used "restructuring" as an excuse to dismiss
her following the election.
We are shocked by this incident and demand that The Wall Street Journal provide a
public explanation. Participation in unions is a basic human right, protected not only
by Hong Kong domestic law but also by international human rights and labour
conventions. No employer can infringe on this fundamental right. Article 1 of the
Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) of the
International Labour Organization clearly states:
"1. Workers shall enjoy adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination
in respect of their employment.
2. Such protection shall apply more particularly in respect of acts calculated to:
(a) Make the employment of a worker subject to the condition that he shall not join a
union or shall relinquish trade union membership;
(b) Cause the dismissal of or otherwise prejudice a worker by reason of union
membership or because of participation in union activities outside working hours or,
with the consent of the employer, within working hours."
It is unacceptable for someone to be treated unfairly or even dismissed because they
belong to a union. The Wall Street Journal, as an internationally renowned media
organisation, should take on a greater responsibility in defending press freedom and
should not prevent its employees from participating in unions and speaking up for
press freedom. At a time when basic human rights in Hong Kong are being severely
suppressed, prohibiting employees from joining unions is equal to aiding and abetting
oppression. This episode raises serious doubts on The Wall Street Journal's
commitment to protecting human rights and sets an unacceptable precedent.
We demand that The Wall Street Journal:
1. Revoke the unfair decision to dismiss Selina Cheng;
2. Investigate the management involved in this union discrimination incident,
promptly provide a public explanation, and commit to preventing similar instances in
the future.
致華爾街日報公開信：
有關香港記者協會主席、華爾街日報記者鄭嘉如被解僱
我們是一群關注香港人權情況的海外港人組織及國際機構。香港記者協會主席鄭嘉
如在 7 月 17 日向傳媒表示被華爾街日報解僱。據鄭嘉如表示，其上司曾向她施
壓，指記協主席職位和華爾街日報記者的職位無法共存，並要求她退出記協執委會
選舉，表示華爾街日報員工不應該在香港這類地方推動新聞自由。事件令人質疑，
華爾街日報因要求鄭退出工會選舉不果，然後以「重組」為藉口，在她當選後作出
解僱決定。
我們對事件感到震驚，並要求華爾街日報公開交待事件。參與工會是每個人的基本
人權，除受到香港法律保障，亦是國際人權及勞工公約規定的基本權利，不容任何
僱主侵犯。國際勞工組織大會 1949 年組織權利和集體談判權利公約（第 98 號）
第一條明確指出:
「1. 工人應享有充分的保護，以防止在就業方面發生任何排斥工會的歧視行為。
2. （a）將不得加入工會或必須放棄工會會籍作為僱用工人的條件；
（b）由於工人加入了工會或者在業餘時間或經僱主許可在工作時間參加了工會活
動而將其解僱，或以其他手段予以打擊。」
我們認為，任何人因為參加工會而被不合理對待甚至解僱是不能接受。作為國際知
名的新聞傳媒機構，華爾街日報理應在捍衛新聞自由承擔更大責任，更不應阻礙僱
員參加工會及為新聞自由發聲。在香港基本人權受到極大打壓的時候，阻礙僱員參
與工會，等同助紂為虐。事件亦令我們對華爾街日報在保護人權上的承擔產生極大
質疑，擔心立下極壞先例。
我們要求華爾街日報：
撤回解僱鄭嘉如的不合理決定；
撤查事件中涉及歧視工會的管理層，盡快向公眾交待事件，並承諾不會讓相同事件
重演。
香港勞權監察
List of organisations signed the open letter
聯署組織名單
1. Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor
2. ARTICLE 19
3. Asian Lawyers Network (ALN)
4. Assembly of Citizens' Representatives, Hong Kong (ACRHK)
5. Aus-Hong Kong Connex
6. Australia Capital Hong Kong Association
7. Australia Hong Kong Link
8. Australia Hong Kong Link NSW Chapter
9. Birmingham HongKongers
10. Canada-Hong Kong Link
11. Citizens of Our Time Learning Hub
12. DC4HK (Washingtonians Supporting Hong Kong)
13. Democracy for Hong Kong (D4HK)
14. Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong. (SWHK)
15. Freedom Card
16. Freiheit für Hongkong
17. Georgetown Center for Asian Law
18. HKersUnited
19. Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights
20. Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC)
21. Hongkongers in Britain (HKB)
22. Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V.
23. HongKongers in Leeds
24. Hong Kong International Alliance Brisbane (HKIA Brisbane)
25. Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles
26. Hong Kong Media Overseas CIC
27. Hong Kong Watch
28. June Fourth Sparks
29. Korean House International Solidarity
30. Lady Liberty Hong Kong (LLHK)
31. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
32. NGO DEI
33. Nomad Reading Darllen Nomad C.B.C.
34. North East Hongkongers Club
35. Nottingham Stands with Hong Kong
36. Reading UK Stands with HK
37. Re-Water
38. Scottish Hongkongers
39. Serve the People Association
40. Southampton HongKongers
41. Taiwan Hong Kong Association
42. The Hong Kong Scots
43. US Hongkongers Club
44. Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement
45. WestMidland Hongkonger Support
46. Workers Against the CCP
47. Workers' Initiative
48. #MilkTeaAlliance Calendar Team
49. #MilkTeaAlliance Friends of Myanmar