The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has raised concerns over the dismissal of five long-serving journalists at the BBC’s Hong Kong bureau, urging the broadcaster to commission an independent review amid allegations of workplace bullying and reports that staff faced pressure over their involvement in the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA).
According to the IFJ, five journalists were made redundant with immediate effect on 17 June after being asked to remain behind following a staff event. The federation said they were given two working days to sign settlement agreements and were told that, if they declined, pension contributions would be withdrawn and offset against their redundancy payments.
Some of those dismissed had previously raised concerns about alleged bullying and working conditions at the bureau, which they believed had affected editorial standards, the IFJ said.
The federation also questioned the rationale for the redundancies, noting that positions similar to those held by the dismissed journalists were advertised externally less than a week later.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the IFJ said the circumstances surrounding the dismissals warranted an independent investigation into management practices at the BBC’s Hong Kong operation.
The organisation also highlighted a separate dispute involving trade union rights. It cited reports that a BBC journalist who had been elected to the executive committee of the Hong Kong Journalists Association in 2024 stepped down shortly afterwards following pressure from regional management.
The HKJA had previously called for an investigation into the bureau’s management culture, according to the IFJ, but those requests were not acted upon.
“The BBC rightly holds others to account on press freedom and workers’ rights; its own conduct must meet the same standard,” the IFJ said. “Journalists who raise concerns about their workplace should never find themselves dismissed, and no employer should stand between journalists and their union.”
The IFJ called on the broadcaster to appoint an independent reviewer to examine allegations of bullying, redundancy practices and concerns relating to staff participation in unions.
The BBC had not publicly responded to the IFJ’s statement at the time of writing.
Photo: Alexander Svensson