The Hong Kong government is under fire after the convictions of former Stand News editors Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam for conspiracy to publish seditious articles, marking a significant blow to press freedom in the region. The U.S. State Department and the European Union criticized the ruling as a direct attack on media freedom, highlighting the 57-day trial and the editors' lengthy pre-trial detention. In contrast, the Chinese government defended the judicial process, asserting that it upheld the rule of law. The convictions, which involve 11 articles deemed seditious, have raised alarm among multiple NGOs and press unions, who argue that they exemplify the decline of independent journalism in Hong Kong. Local officials, however, maintain that there are no restrictions if journalists adhere to factual reporting. The case has intensified concerns regarding the erosion of press freedoms guaranteed under Hong Kong's Basic Law.