A French journalist, Antoine Vedeilhe, who has visited Hong Kong multiple times for reporting purposes, recently revealed that he was detained and immediately deported when he attempted to enter Hong Kong in November last year. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) pointed out that Antoine is the 13th foreign journalist known to be targeted by the Hong Kong authorities since the implementation of the National Security Law in 2020.
According to RSF information, Antoine was in Hong Kong to produce a documentary about the city for France Télévisions.
On his arrival in Hong Kong on November 2 last year, Antoine was taken to a room for questioning, during which he was interrogated and subjected to a full-body search. Antoine recalled seeing the personnel holding a folder labeled “confidential” and demanding that he list down all the people he knew and interviewed in Hong Kong.
When Antoine asked for an explanation from the customs officers, they only replied that he “could potentially endanger national security.” After being detained at the airport for about 3 hours, he was promptly requested to return to France. Antoine mentioned that he had been frequently traveling to and from Hong Kong for the past 10 years, reporting on the anti-extradition movement and district council elections, and working for media outlets such as Arte and France 24. He emphasized that his reporting has always strived to balance various voices, including those opposed to the Chinese Communist Party and individuals within government agencies who support the CCP.
He speculated that a detailed report he produced for Arte in September 2024 might have been the “trigger” that caught the attention of the Hong Kong government.
The incident continued to escalate after Antoine left Hong Kong. On the day following his deportation, France Télévisions received an anonymous email threatening that the content of their work “contradicted the National Security Law” and claimed that certain editorial choices could constitute “incitement to hatred,” putting media organizations and their partners at risk of criminal prosecution.
Additionally, the photographer who traveled with Antoine, although successfully entered Hong Kong, suspected being followed by national security police during their stay. Antoine also revealed that his personal email account was later subjected to hacking attacks, and sources of information in the documentary were harassed.
Aleksandra Bielakowska, the Asia-Pacific Advocacy Manager at Reporters Without Borders, pointed out that this case demonstrates Hong Kong’s alignment with China in suppressing independent media and criticized the authorities for “weaponizing” visa policies.
According to RSF data, at least 13 journalists have been refused visa issuance or barred from entering Hong Kong since 2020, including advocates for press freedom. The organization urged the international community to pay attention to Hong Kong’s actions against the media and attempts to export repressive patterns. Data shows that Hong Kong ranked 140th in the World Press Freedom Index in 2025, a significant decline from 18th place in 2002.