Macau, China, April 17, 2025 (Lusa) - Macau's police said it has referred the case of the journalists removed on Thursday by officers from the Legislative Assembly (LA), where the government was presenting its political programme, "for serious disturbance of public order" to the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP). "After the investigation, there are strong indications that the two people (...) are suspected of committing the crime of "disturbing the functioning of organs of the Macau Special Administrative Region", provided for in article 304 of the Penal Code, so the case will be referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office for treatment," the Macau police wrote in a response to Lusa. The newspaper All About Macau (AAM) said that two journalists from the publication were taken away by police today when they tried to enter the AL hall to attend the presentation of the government's political programme for 2025. In a video published this morning by the online newspaper on social media, it is possible to see officers trying to remove one of the AAM journalists from the entrance to the assembly, where the Secretary for Administration and Justice, André Cheong, was presenting the government's 2025 programme of action. On social media, the newspaper wrote that the journalists" request to enter the plenary session was refused, and the police were called to remove the two professionals, “alleging that they were suspected of ”disturbing the functioning of the authorities" in Macau and illegal video recording". The newspaper pointed out that, still inside the assembly, the journalists were given a "blue card", which obliged them to watch the session in another room via television transmission, which they refused. "Apparently, there were still empty seats" for the media in the main hall, wrote the online newspaper. The reporters, continued the AAM, "defended their right to enter the chamber and asked the officials present for explanations, but to no avail. The police then took them away to help with the investigation". The police have now told Lusa that, "dissatisfied with the respective provisions of the Assembly", the media professionals "disturbed the place and tried several times to enter the meeting room, but were unsuccessful". According to the police, the journalists "started shouting loudly and ignoring the warnings of the staff" several times, so police support was requested "due to the serious disturbance of public order in the place". "Given that these two people are suspected of influencing the workings of the Legislative Assembly, police staff took them to the station for investigation," the police continue. The journalists remained in police custody until 21:00 (14:00 in Lisbon), and they posted about All About Macau on social media. Contacted by Lusa in the afternoon, the Macau Journalists Association (AJM) said it would be holding a board meeting to decide what measures to take, so it would not be making a statement today. On Sunday, the association of Chinese journalists expressed concern about the increase in official events without media coverage and "discriminatory practices" towards the sector. "More than 90% of government-related information is now disseminated through press releases or statements after the event," the AJM warned, expressing concern that “this passive and retrograde approach to communication” will become the “new normal”. For this reason, the association reaffirmed the need for the government to "honour its commitment to respect press freedom". In its position statement, AJM questioned the "unjustified exclusion" of "local monthly magazines and online media" - such as All About Macau - from covering official events that "frequently involve" members of the authorities. The association added that these "discriminatory practices" have been justified by the Media Office with "unconvincing justifications" - such as limited space - and the government department has "suggested that journalists “watch the live broadcast” of events instead of attending in person". At a meeting with the Portuguese and English-speaking media in January, the head of the government, Sam Hou Fai, emphasised that Macau's press law guarantees freedom of the press and that the government supports journalists "in the correct fulfilment of their duties, in news coverage and access to news, actively collaborating in the efficient exchange of information between the various public services and the sector". CAD/ADB // ADB. Lusa