#PoliceState #ArbitraryArrests
Man Accused of Possessing Poison Has Prosecution Withdrawn, Jeremy Tam Censures Police Arbitrary Arrests

After protestors occupied the Legislative Council building on July 1 last year, police officers intercepted multiple vans near Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park, and arrested a van driver for "Possession of Part I Poison" and "Possession of Instrument Fit for Unlawful Purpose".

Legislative Councillor Jeremy Tam Man-ho, who assisted the arrested driver, said that the driver was only found with asthma medication, stating that he "would have believed that this was some Golden Triangle drug smuggling case if one was not informed about it".

After he was notified that the driver had his prosecution withdrawn due to lack of evidence, Tam censured the police for conducting indiscriminate and arbitrary arrests, stating that the police "often frame Hongkongers", and noted the irony of the officers from the Regional Anti-Triad Unit, whose possession of methamphetamine made headlines in early May. He remarked, "The true drug smugglers may be the Regional Anti-Triad Unit who claims to be 'Serving Hong Kong with Honour, Duty and Loyalty'".

Source: Stand News
#May7 #July1 #LegCo #AsthmaDrugs #Poison #JeremyTam

Read More:
Hong Kong Police Officers Arrested in Drug Case
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20572

#Newspaper

Primary school teacher accused of teaching the Opium War incorrectly
DAB urges the government to follow up on teaching material standards and disciplinary measures

(03 May)Legislators Elizabeth Quat, Wilson Or Chong-shing, Steven Ho Chun-yin and Holden Chow Ho-ding of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) wrote to the Legislative Council's Panel on Education today. Their letter requested that the government modify its meeting agenda to follow up on teaching material standards,
methods of maintaining pedagogy standards in teachers, disciplinary measures for confirmed professional misconduct, etc.to prevent teachers from using education to poison students' minds.

The letter stated that the DAB recently received numerous complaints that a general studies teacher from the Sik Sik Yuen-sponsored Ho Lap Primary School deliberately distorted historical accounts. The alleged teacher falsely claimed that "Britain sent troops against China to ban smoking". The DAB also mentioned that the internet circulated information of a Primary 2 General Studies textbook. "Longman General Studies Children Look at History 2C" content was purportedly biased and lacking in positive case studies of Mainland China. It had deliberate exaggerations of the differences between the two places [Hong Kong and the Mainland].

Continue reading:
https://telegra.ph/Primary-school-teacher-accused-of-teaching-the-Opium-War-incorrectly-DAB-urges-the-government-to-follow-up-on-teaching-material--05-11

Source: the Stand News
bit.ly/2zi0OM1

#DAB #OpiumWar #TeachingMaterial #Education #History

#Uyghur #CCP #Xinjiang
Chinese Communist Government Forces University Students to Xinjiang to Swear Allegiance to the Party

On December 3, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, imposing sanctions on Chinese officials who send Uyghurs to re-education camps and banned the export of U.S. products to Xinjiang. Still, the human rights situation is deteriorating. In addition to suppressing the Uyghurs, the authorities also demanded the local people to be loyal to criticize countries that are concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang.

Some university students told Bitter Winter, a media group that focuses on China's religious freedom and human rights, that after the bill was passed, their schools required them to publicly denounce it.

Even though teachers and students were forced to swear allegiance to the government, they haven’t necessarily turned a blind eye to the human rights abuses in Xinjiang. A Han Chinese teacher who participated in "Aid Xinjiang" said that "Re-education camps are a fact. Many parents of students have been, or are currently, locked up." He also said that many Han Chinese teachers were forced to cooperate with the government to supervise the Uyghurs, including participating in a “matchmaking" plan , in which they were forced to visit Uyghur families regularly and even live with them. "For Uyghurs, this is a prison." Due to his public dissatisfaction with the government's persecution policy, he was later detained.

Undergraduates are also required to install phone monitoring softwares. According to a university student from Xinjiang, during the time of enrollment, every student installed a special mobile phone program called "Net Guardian". The police can then use the program to detect whether the student discusses "sensitive" information, and students cannot uninstall the program without approval from the authorities. The student also said that the surveillance in Xinjiang is very real, and that he feels really pressured having to witness the oppression of his classmates.

"It is very depressing in Xinjiang, and I will leave as soon as I finish my studies!”

Source: Stand News #May2

Photo Taken in CUHK receives the Best News Picture

The Human Rights News Awards entered its 24th year and continued to recognize outstanding Asian human rights news reports. Among them, the "One Person, One Vote Best News Picture Award" allowed the public to choose from 6 outstanding photos, and received a total of 47,451 votes.

This year, the award was won by "Mattress as a Shield" by Lai Chun-kit, a photographer of MingPao. The photo captured the moment when a protester used a mattress as cover facing the riot police at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

This year's Human Rights News Awards featured 22 categories. The winning works have a wide range of subjects including reports on the anti-ELAB protests in Hong Kong, overcrowding Philippine prisons, the Assamese stripped of their nationality by India, and an interview with the wife of Chinese rights defender Jiang Tianyong. A record breaking of atotal of 488 entries have been received, more than double of the last year.

Source: Ming Pao #May6

#OpinionArticle #ChipTsao

Understanding Hong Kong's chaos in 800 words

(4 May) Hong Kong's chaos is caused by its eventual grafting onto China's authoritarian soil two decades after the transfer of sovereignty.

Hong Kong was intended to have been ruled directly by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Before Britain pulled out, however, it unexpectedly drove a wedge in the plan with the Sino-British Joint Declaration. From that, the Basic Law was derived. China was left stuck with a shell. At the time, there was no way to absorb Hong Kong into the CCP's regime.

//Hong Kong's chaos is nothing more than China's process of transforming it from the originally promised "two systems" into "one country". China kept saying it was an "acclimatisation period" but actually meant it to be the digestion of Hongkongers' so-called elitism. Even the so-called immature democracy in Hong Kong politics is to be digested away, step by step.

//"How is this good for China? China needs to keep Hong Kong as an international gateway for foreign exchange."... The mindset of communist-ruled China is very different from the common wisdom of the West, however.

Full translation:
https://telegra.ph/Understanding-Hong-Kongs-chaos-in-800-words-05-11

Source: Apple Daily

#CCP #OneCountryTwoSystems #Hongkongers #authoritarianism #dictatorship #tyranny #RMB #MainlandChinese

#Analysis

Dispute of Article 22, raising the last ugly veil of the Basic Law

(21 Apr) The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LOCPG) asserted on the other day that it had the authority to supervise Hong Kong on the “normal functioning of its political system” and “matters pertaining to the overall interests of society” incited tremendous dispute. Confronting accusation from the pan-democrats, that LOCPG has violated Section 1 of Article 22 of the Basic Law which “No department of the Central People's Government…… may interfere in the affairs which the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region administers on its own in accordance with this Law”, LOCPG defended that LOCPG “was not “the department of the Central People's Government” in a general meaning”. It turns out that government departments are divided into being “in a general meaning” and “not in a general meaning”. Such an “Animal Farm” explanation from LOCPG has widened the horizons of Hong Kong people and raised the last ugly veil of the Basic Law and “Hong Kong People administering Hong Kong, and a high degree of autonomy”.

Instead of attributing such controversy to the distinctive views of Civil Law and Common Law, one could say that the controversy was due to the difference between rule of law and rule of man. Since CCP’s establishment, China has been led by policies from the party, while law has merely been a role of coordination. Therefore, the law could be revised and/or amended deliberately anytime, requiring neither the authorization of the people nor be reviewed by the court. As the policy regarding Hong Kong has been changed from “river water does not interfere well water” (a Chinese saying which means not intervening each other’s business) to emphasizing “a complete ruling authority”, Article 22 naturally requires modernization so that LOCPG can do whatever it desires to Hong Kong.

How should Article 22 truly be construed? What is the position and the role of LOCPG?

Full translation:
https://telegra.ph/Dispute-of-Article-22-raising-the-last-ugly-veil-of-the-Basic-Law-05-11

Source: HKCNews

#RuleOfLaw #RuleOfMan #Article22 #OneCountryTwoSystems #LOCPG #CCP

Direct appointment of Cu Mask Developer and Manufacturer raised doubts on conflict of interest and transfer of benefits
#CopperMask

#Newspaper #CopperMask
CuMask logbook 1/3 - Another multi-million project riddled with hundred holes

Criticisms raised in the first 5 days covering alleged breach of tendering process, government-business collusion, transfer of benefits, excessive collection of personal data to misleading product claim and potential health concern.

After 15 consecutive days without locally transmitted infection of Coronavirus being found, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam said she was going to distribute reusable CuMask to all Hong Kong citizens for free last Tuesday (5 May) when she was announcing relaxation of the city’s social distancing measures. This long-delayed right decision, arrived at such awkward timing, invited nothing more than a surge of criticisms.

Day 1 (5 May)
The six-layer copper-lined reusable mask was said to be developed by a government-funded institution, the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), employing an enhanced filtration technology that earned top honours at a European exhibition in 2018. In the announcement briefing, Edwin Keh, CEO of HKRITA, claimed that the mask’s copper elements can suppress virus and the mask including the filter inside, could be handwashed with soap and water for as many as 60 times.

Alfred Sit, the newly appointed Secretary for Innovation & Technology refused to name the manufacturer of the washable masks, saying that it could spur competitors from other countries outbidding for raw materials.

Source: Apple Daily
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Continue

#Newspaper #CopperMask
CuMask logbook 2/3 - Another multi-million project riddled with hundred holes

Day 2 (6 May)
The mystery identify of mask manufacturer sparked loads of criticisms among legislators, questioning why the administration did not carry out a tender process to choose the production firms for a massive contract worth about HK$800 million. Some even raised corruption allegation, concerning about conflict of interest and transfer of benefits.

Even the pro-establishment legislator threw in bitter criticisms pointing out the lack of transparency could lead to government-business collusion. The Liberal Party leader Felix Chung said although single tender procurement allowed for faster production, the government choosing not to disclose the manufacturer's name gave an impression that there were underhand deals involved.

On the same day, a local media outed that boxes of reusable masks were found at the Mills with clear markings that read “Regent Garment Factory Limited” and “Crystal Elegance Industrial Limited”, both companies are solely-owned by the Crystal International.

Under relentless public fire, Permanent secretary for innovation and technology Annie Choi Shuk-han was forced to reveal the identity of the manufacturer, explaining that the government did not disclose the producer’s name at the first place because they did not want to “bother” the company.

…… Crystal International publicly for producing the masks;
…… Novetex Textiles in Tai Po Industrial Estate for providing a dust-free room for packing the masks;
…… The Mills in Tsuen Wan and TAL Apparel in To Kwa Wan for providing venues as storage and sewing areas.

Choi also defended that “Under the government's stores and procurement regulations, direct procurement is allowed in a pressing situation." Choi reiterated that the campaign was a non-profit effort, the Crystal group offered to help at an "old friend's price" of around HK$30 to HK$40 per mask.

Day 3 (7 May)
Although bureau official denied transfer of benefits, the allegation of corruption was not groundless as the company’s share price soared soon after its name was revealed on May 7 by 12.5%.

Media also found several suspiciously large purchases of shares in late March when the production contract was awarded to Crystal International, but public announcement was yet to be made. Local media also pointed out that Frankie Wong Chi-fai, executive director of Crystal Group, and Tommy Siu Yuk-yin, vice-president of TAL Apparel, are both HKRITA directors.

Separately, the collection of personal information during the mask distribution has raised concerns over information security and the government’s handling of the data.

Craig Choy, former convener of the Progressive Lawyers Group, wrote on Twitter that the government had failed to state the purposes of data collection and whether the information would be transferred to any third party.

Source: Apple Daily
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Continue

#Newspaper #CopperMask
CuMask logbook 3/3 - Another multi-million project riddled with hundred holes

Day 4 (8 May)
The Mask which cost HK$800 million to develop were revealed to not be based on award-winning patents which Secretary for Innovation & Technology Alfred Sit showed off the award certificate while introducing the mask at the press on Tuesday (May 5).

Besides, more doubts had been casted on the effectiveness of the mask - rather than protecting the mask wearers from breathing in the virus, the elements of copper in the CuMask may "poison" human organs, an expert in Chemistry, Dr K Kwong challenged.

Day 5 (9 May)
Secretary for Innovation & Technology Alfred Sit admitted that the CuMask did not include the award-winning technology because it would not be able to sustain up to 60 washes.

But he argued that the inner layers of the mask, which contain anti-bacteria copper elements, were derived from the same technology. Sit called it a "modified or enhanced" version.

He even forced on another reason saying not mentioning the technology was disrespectful to developers.

He reassumed the public that the Masks have undergone strict testing and certification processes before product.

Infectious disease expert from the University of Hong Kong, Dr.Ho Pak Leung, however, warned that the reusable masks shall not be used when going to hospitals, clinics and elderly homes; getting fever or with respiratory symptoms; those classified a confiner, especially home confinees and household members; and those diagnosed with novel coronavirus or suspected cases.

Source: Apple Daily

#FirstHand #Video #May12

20:06 | #TszWanShan Shopping Mall
Citizens were gathered at the Tsz Wan Shan Shopping Mall. They sang protest anthem, Glory to Hong Kong, initiating the start of tonight.

#PoliceState #HKProtest #SingwithYou

#FirstHand #Video #May12

20:20 | #TszWanShan Shopping Mall
Riot police are making their way into the mall.

#PoliceState #HKProtest #SingwithYou

#FirstHand #PoliceState
Police Holds Pepper Spray While Ordering Crowd to Disperse

2040 | #TzsWanShan
Just a few minutes after riot police marched into the mall, they started to disperse civilians and reporters. As shown in the video, riot police kept urging civilians to leave and one officer held up pepper spray, pointing it at the eye level of the reporter shooting the video.

#May12 #HKProtest #SingwithYou