Hong Kong’s national security office has cautioned several foreign media outlets against spreading “false information” about the city’s deadliest fire in nearly eight decades, summoning them for a rare collective meeting on Saturday.
The warning came one day before Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election and follows international reporting on the blaze at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex, which killed at least 159 people and sparked widespread public anger.
In a statement, the Office for Safeguarding National Security said some foreign outlets had “ignored the facts” and “smeared” the government’s handling of disaster relief. Officials accused the coverage of undermining confidence ahead of Sunday’s election and “provoking social division.”
The office said the meeting was held under the powers granted by the 2020 National Security Law, which allows Beijing’s security agency in Hong Kong to “strengthen management” of foreign entities, including news organizations.
Saturday’s gathering appeared to be the first instance in which the security office summoned multiple foreign media outlets simultaneously to rebuke coverage of a specific event, according to reporters familiar with the situation.
Authorities continue investigating the cause of the deadly blaze, with early findings pointing to poor oversight and substandard renovation materials that allowed the fire to spread rapidly through the high-rise tower.
Several activists who demanded greater government accountability have been detained in recent days, while Beijing has warned the public against using the disaster to “disrupt Hong Kong.”
The warning to foreign media comes amid an ongoing crackdown on civil liberties following Hong Kong’s massive 2019 pro-democracy protests. Since then, authorities have arrested opposition politicians, closed several independent newsrooms, and restricted civil society groups.
Hong Kong now ranks 140th out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders—one of the steepest declines worldwide.
Read Also: Hong Kong Patriots-Only Election Faces Low Turnout After Fire
Media tycoon Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily and one of Beijing’s most prominent critics, is currently on trial under the National Security Law and faces a potential life sentence. According to Reuters, U.S. President Donald Trump raised Lai’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during bilateral talks last month.
The security office’s intervention highlights the political sensitivity surrounding the fire and the upcoming Legislative Council election—an event already closely managed under sweeping electoral reforms that sharply reduced public participation and barred most opposition voices.
Authorities have not signaled whether further action will be taken against foreign media, but officials said outlets are expected to avoid “interference” in the election and ensure reporting aligns with “accurate information.”