A Hong Kong court sentenced Chung Pui-kuen, former editor-in-chief of the now-defunct pro-democracy news outlet Stand News, to 21 months in prison on Thursday. Patrick Lam, the former acting editor-in-chief, was released with a reduced sentence due to health issues.

Chung and Lam were found guilty of conspiracy to publish seditious materials and inciting hatred against the Central Authorities.

During the sentencing, Judge Kwok Wai-kin held that Stand News had been used as a vehicle for undermining the Hong Kong and Chinese governments amid the pro-democracy protests of 2019. He cited 11 articles published under their leadership as examples of seditious intent. Despite the defense’s argument that these articles constituted a minor part of Stand News’ overall output, the judge maintained that their influence was considerable, given the platform’s following of 1.6 million.

This case marks the first conviction of journalists under Hong Kong’s colonial-era sedition law since the territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997, according to BBC.

Chung and Lam had been detained for nearly a year prior to their release on bail in late 2022. Their trial began in October 2022 and lasted approximately 50 days.

Following the verdict, the Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed concern about the implications for press freedom in the region. Human Rights Watch also issued a statement condemning the ruling, highlighting its impact on media freedom.

Currently, Hong Kong ranks 135th out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index, a significant decline from 80th in 2021. The region has seen increased scrutiny and restrictions on journalists amid ongoing security legislation.