Victor Mallet visa controversy

Victor Mallet visa controversy
Date14 August 2018
VenueForeign Correspondents' Club of Hong Kong
Location2 Lower Albert Road, Hong Kong
TypeLunchtime talk (trigger event)
ThemeHong Kong independence
ParticipantsAndy Chan

The Victor Mallet visa controversy is an incident in Hong Kong in 2018 that many pundits consider as having major implications for freedom of speech in Hong Kong. The Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) scheduled a lunchtime talk for 14 August. The invitee was Andy Chan, convenor of the Hong Kong National Party (HKNP); Victor Mallet, vice-president of the press organisation, chaired the session.[1] The government of China had called for the cancellation of the talk, and Hong Kong government expressed its regret because the issue of independence was said to cross the red lines on national sovereignty.[2][3] After a visit to Bangkok, Mallet was denied a working visa by the Hong Kong government.[4] Mallet was subjected to a four-hour interrogation by immigration officers on his return from Thailand on Sunday, 7 October before he was finally allowed to enter Hong Kong.[5]

In the absence of an official explanation, Mallet's visa rejection was widely seen to be retribution for his role in chairing the Chan talk, which the FCC refused to cancel.[1][3][6] The Hong Kong Journalists Association, which has for years lived under the pressure of self-censorship, immediately warned of the "death knell of freedom of speech".[6] Secretary for Security John Lee insisted the ban on Mallet was unrelated to press freedom, but declined to explain the decision.[5] The incident caused a furious debate over the one country, two systems model which Deng Xiaoping promised for Hong Kong, and over restrictions to freedoms that were promised in the Sino-British Joint Declaration which included a "high degree of autonomy", democratic reforms, and maintenance of the freedom of the press.[7]

  1. ^ a b Quackenbush, Casey (9 November 2018). "Financial Times Editor Barred Entry Into Hong Kong". Time. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Hong Kong rejects visa for FT editor Victor Mallet". BBC News. 6 October 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b Lum, Alvin; Chung, Kimmy (11 October 2018). "Ex-British foreign minister, US senator urge action on Hong Kong visa refusal". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 23 February 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  4. ^ Lam, Jeffie; Lok-kei, Sum; Chung, Kimmy (8 October 2018). "Journalist Victor Mallet allowed back into Hong Kong – for seven days only". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b Cheung, Tony; Lok-kei, Sum (9 November 2018). "Ban on journalist risks undermining business confidence, UK minister warns". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 15 November 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b Griffiths, James (16 November 2018). "'Death knell' of press freedom in Hong Kong has been a long time coming". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Financial Times editor given one week to leave Hong Kong". Deutsche Welle. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2023.