Former Stand News editors Chung Pui-Kuen and Patrick Lam were both found guilty of sedition. The two former editors of the now-shuttered independent news outlet were accused of inciting hatred against the governments of China and Hong Kong. The sedition claims were based on 17 Stand News articles released between July 2020 and December 2021, 11 of which were classified as displaying "seditious intentions." 

Although HKSAR authorities contend that they are required to use sedition laws and the 2020 National Security Law to restore stability following protests, critics such as Amnesty International and some Western officials view these prosecutions as instruments for stifling opposition and restricting civil freedoms. 

Criticism from around the world focused on the conviction of Stand News journalists Chung Pui-Kuen and Patrick Lam, especially from Western governments worried about the erosion of press freedom in Hong Kong. United States officials have consistently expressed concern about the prosecution of journalists in Hong Kong, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier stating that "journalism is not sedition" and criticizing the use of charge of sedition against reporters.