A Hong Kong court convicted Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal, of wilfully preventing former reporter Selina Cheng from exercising her right under the city’s Trade Unions Ordinance to become an officer of a registered union. The court found the company sought to stop Cheng from becoming chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), but acquitted it of unlawfully terminating her employment on July 17, 2024. Magistrate David Cheung said a genuine corporate restructuring could not be excluded beyond a reasonable doubt. Each charge carries a maximum fine of HK$100,000 ($12,750), and sentencing is expected later. Cheng said the case highlighted union suppression in Hong Kong and warned that journalists cannot work safely if employment rights are not protected or enforced. Her election took place amid a national security crackdown, while the Journal separately announced a 2024 shift of its Asian operations’ regional centre from Hong Kong to Singapore.