WSJ Publisher Convicted in Hong Kong Union Case

A Hong Kong court has convicted the publisher of The Wall Street Journal of deterring one of its own reporters from taking up a trade union role.

Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia) Inc., the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, was convicted Thursday by a Hong Kong court of deterring its reporter from exercising union participation rights.

The same court acquitted the company of a second charge — that it fired her for taking the union role.

The case was brought as a private prosecution by former WSJ reporter Selina Cheng, who is also chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association. She lost her job in July 2024.

Sentencing is expected at a later date.

The Charges

Dow Jones pleaded not guilty last year to two charges under Hong Kong's Employment Ordinance. The first alleged the company prevented or deterred Cheng from exercising union participation rights. The second alleged it terminated her employment for exercising those rights. Each charge carries a maximum fine of 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, about $12,750.

Principal Magistrate David Cheung convicted the company on the first charge, but said the defense had raised sufficient reasonable doubt on the second.