HONG KONG - Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Friday that the city’s police had no intention to suppress press freedom by redefining "media representatives" under the Police General Orders.

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Police said in a letter to several journalists' groups on Tuesday that to assist frontline police officers in performing their duties, the definition of "media representatives" under the Police General Orders would be amended.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the SAR’s Basic Law guarantees that Hong Kong residents have freedom of speech, of the press and of publication, which will not be changed

In response to allegations against the police, Lam said on social media that the SAR’s Basic Law guarantees that Hong Kong residents have freedom of speech, of the press and of publication, which will not be changed.

Lam said the aim of the police to redefine "media representatives" is not to suppress freedom of the press, nor to screen journalists. 

Police said in the letter that since the social unrest last year, some people proclaimed themselves as journalists and mingled with the crowds. They were suspected of deliberately obstructing the police from enforcing the law and even assaulted police officers, making it difficult for the police to perform their duties. This has prompted the police to make the amendment.

After the amendment, "media representatives" will include reporters, photographers and TV crews from media organizations that have registered with the HKSAR Government News and Media Information System (GNMIS); or internationally recognized, well-known non-local news agencies, newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations.

People who merely possess a membership card issued by the Hong Kong Journalists Association or the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association will no longer be recognized as "media representative" after the amendment.

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Lam said the GNMIS is an objective, open and non-discriminatory service platform, which help the HKSAR government to strengthen its ties with the media and provide services to the media. Subscribers to the system can receive all information released by the HKSAR government.

As of Friday, there are 206 GNMIS subscribers, which include local and Hong Kong-based overseas media and online media, she said.