Washington – Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has called on American web hosting company Automattic to stand up against authorities in Hong Kong requesting the suspension of a media service founded by overseas Hong Kong democracy activists.
In a letter exclusively obtained by VOA, Krishnamoorthi praised Automattic’s decision to not comply with requests from Hong Kong police to remove the website of Flow HK, an online media outlet founded by exiled pro-democracy activists. He called it “the correct choice” in the face of increasing attempts by Chinese officials to censor voices of dissent abroad.
The original notice from the Hong Kong police accused Flow HK of violating the National Security Law by promoting secessionism, subverting state power, and colluding with foreign forces. However, Automattic’s refusal to comply with these requests is a clear message that it will not support such repressive actions by the Hong Kong government.
Krishnamoorthi expressed concern about the growing trend of Chinese officials using Hong Kong’s National Security Law to target overseas activists. He stated that this is not the first time the CCP has attempted to silence pro-democracy activists abroad and it will not be the last. He also highlighted the fact that bounties have been placed on activists, including Americans, for speaking out against the Chinese government.
The lawmaker emphasized that Congress must be “crystal clear” in its opposition to the CCP’s use of laws to target activists and their websites hosted in the United States. He urged American companies to not facilitate such repression and to stand up for freedom of speech and expression.
Carmen Lau, international advocacy and program associate at the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, echoed Krishnamoorthi’s concerns and called for action against the Hong Kong government’s increasing use of security laws to target individuals outside of China. Lau stated that Flow HK plays a unique role in documenting and discussing social issues and the Hong Kong government’s actions are a clear sign of the acceleration of the crackdown on free speech and freedom of expression.
Flow HK was founded in early 2021 by activists who were expelled from Hong Kong. On its website, the media outlet explains that its purpose is to maintain a unique community of Hong Kong people and to pass on the flame of resistance in the face of unprecedented historical trials.
Several websites related to the Hong Kong protests have been blocked within Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Chronicles, which contains personal information on some Hong Kong police officers, the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, the British human rights organization Hong Kong Watch, Taiwan’s Transitional Justice Commission, the 2021 Hong Kong Charter composed of Hong Kong exiles, and the June 4th Memorial Museum.
Automattic, a technology company headquartered in San Francisco, provides web content management services in 92 countries and has 1,730 employees. Its services are used by many well-known websites, social networking sites, and apps, including WordPress.com, WordPress VIP, Woo, Simplenote, Newspack, and Tumblr.
VOA reached out to Automattic, the Hong Kong police, and Flow HK for comments but did not receive any responses by the time of publication.
Krishnamoorthi’s letter and the actions of Automattic are a reminder that the fight for freedom of speech and expression is ongoing, even outside of China. It is important for American companies to take a stand against the repressive actions of the CCP and to support the voices of those fighting for democracy and human rights in Hong Kong. As Krishnamoorthi stated, “We must not allow the CCP to use its laws to silence the voices of those who seek to defend freedom and democracy.”
