We strongly condemn the shooting of our associate editor, Veby Mega Indah, while she was doing her job in Wan Chai on Sunday (Sept. 29).
Suara is a registered publication here in Hong Kong and has been telling the story of Indonesian migrant workers and reporting other issues in the city since the paper was established in 2002.
Veby is an experienced and dedicated journalist, with unswerving commitment to her craft.
Ever since the anti-government protests began in June, she has been courageously covering the rallies from Yuen Long to Tung Chung and Causeway Bay.
On Sunday afternoon, she was reporting live through Facebook on the protest in Wan Chai when she was shot in the face. A police beanbag round or rubber bullet hit the protective goggles she was wearing, leaving her right eye seriously injured and a cut around her eye requiring stitches.
Doctors are still assessing the full extent of her injuries and the possibility remains that she could go blind in her right eye.
This should not have happened. Police are required to assist the press and not obstruct them in any way – especially not shoot at them.
Veby was standing beside other journalists who were also covering the protest action near the Immigration Tower.
She was wearing her press ID, high visibility vest, a helmet with press markings, and her protective goggles at the time of the shooting. Veby clearly could not have been mistaken for a protester.
We strongly condemn this incident and will seek justice as we pray for her quick recovery.
