#LegCoElection #ProvisionalLegCo #PublicOpinionPoll
HK's Democratic Party announces to entrust a third party to conduct a public scientific survey to decide whether to serve the extended LegCo terms arranged by Beijing

Source: Stand News #Aug20
#NoElection #Postponement #DemocraticParty

Read Full Article: ⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24402

#LegCoElection #ProvisionalLegCo #PublicOpinionPoll
HK's Democratic Party to entrust a third party to conduct a public survey to decide whether to serve the extended LegCo terms arranged by Beijing

Citing the coronavirus pandemic, the HKSAR government postponed the Legislative Council Election, originally supposed to take place in September 2020, for a year last month. Despite the criticism of intervening Hong Kong's affairs, China's Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) has announced the extension of the term of incumbent lawmakers by a year. The pro-democracy front in Hong Kong is currently caught in a dilemma of whether to serve or boycott the coming LegCo term.

On 20 August, 2020, Democratic Party announced to entrust a creditable polling organisation to conduct a public scientific survey and emphasised to respect public opinion as to the basis of their final decision.

Chairman Wu Chi-wai stated that even the Democratic Party tended to stay, they would let the public decide if they stay or boycott.

Seven incumbents lawmakers from Democratic Party include Wu Chi-wai, James To Kun-sum, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong Pik-wan, Roy Kwong Chun-Yu, Ted Hui Chi-Fung, and Andrew Wan Siu-kin.

Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (#HKPORI) has conducted a relevant latelt and the results are to be published on 21 August 2020. HKPORI deputy CEO Chung Kim-wah stated that the result might have high deviation since the survey sampling is not universal and therefore it can only be taken as a reference . Thus, another representative public survey will be arranged, and the result should be ready before 30 September, berfore this term of Legislative Council officially ends.

Some incumbent lawmakers in the democratic front released a joint declaration on 17 August concerning their intent o stay on. However, Raymond Chan Chi-Chuen from People Power and Eddie Chi Hoi-dick from Council Front have expressed their stance openly that they would boycott the next council. Cheng Chung-tai from Civic Passion has already declared that he would stay.

[Editor's note:
Civic Party stated in a press conference held on the evening of August 2p that they inclined to stay in the council but will support the Democratic Party's proposal by letting the public decide in an opinion poll.]

Source: Stand News #Aug20
#NoElection #Postponement #DemocraticParty

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Reading the 3-part Series on Democracy Front's Debates on Whether Incumbent Pro-dem Lawmakers shall Serve in Extended Term Under Beijing's LegCo Arrangement:

Part 1:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24384

Part 2:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24385

Part 3:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24386

#LegCo #ProvisionalLegCo
Civic Party and Democratic Party Align Stance: Public opinion will decide for us to either boycott or serve in the extended LegCo term

The Democratic Party expressed on the morning on August 21, 2020, that they will look at the result of public opinion poll before deciding whether its members will sit for a Legislative Council term extended by Beijing.

Respecting and endorsing the idea of an independent poll, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu said he and other four legislators of the Civic Party would abide by the results.

Yeung explained that pro-democracy pursuits in the Legislative Council and on the street are suffering extreme oppression following the authorities' forceful imposition of the National Security Law. Yeung added, “while the room left for international lobbying and street-level protests remain unknown, it is sensible to stay on and speak the truth as LegCo remains an important battlefield.”

Yeung later spoke in his own capacity that since he is one of the four candidates being disqualified from running the coming LegCo election, serving in the extended term for the purpose of “annoying” the government and Beijing loyalists is also his consideration.

Incumbent lawmaker and Civic Party member Jeremy Tam Man-ho pointed out that international lobbying, street-level protests and Legislative Council deliberation are three inseparable battlefronts for advancing the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Under the National Security Law, there are only limited space left for the first two fronts, with LegCo being the only remaining one. He challenged whether leaving LegCo is a wise plan.

While Tam admitted that pro-democracy legislators could not stop the Beijing-loyalist- dominated LegCo from passing draconian law, Tam reiterated the importance of having oppositional voices in the Council to delay, if not halt, the pro-Beijing force in passing even more controversial bills in lightning speed. He asked citizens for their understanding, stressing that it is a dilemma situation for pro-democracy legislators to choose either boycotting or staying on.

Source: InMedia #Aug20
https://www.inmediahk.net/node/1076628

#ProvisionalLegCo #NationalSecurityLaw #PoliticalOppression

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HK's Democratic Party announces to entrust a third party to conduct a public scientific survey to decide whether to serve the extended LegCo terms arranged by Beijing
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24402

#PoliceState #Abduction #Kidnap #AsiasFinest
Video Shows Alleged Kidnapping of Citizen by HK Police

Source: Stand News #Aug20
#Video

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24434

#PoliceState #Abduction #Kidnap #AsiasFinest
Video Shows Alleged Kidnapping of Citizen by HK Police

Watch video: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24433

A video submitted to “Stand News” on 20 August, 2020 showed that 5-8 plainclothes police seized and forced a lady into a black seven-seat van under the bridge at the junction of O’Brien Road and Jaffe Road in Causeway Bay. The lady in the video, which has been circulating on the internet continued, shouted for help while being manhandled in the van. Police had been suspected to ”kidnap” civilians.

Police later posted in their official Facebook at night to clarify that the lady in the video has been arrested of the violation of “Access to a computer with criminal or dishonest intent”. They condemned netizens on the accusation of “kidnapping” by police officers on duty without warrant. Also, they denounced netizens attempted inciting hatred.

Source: Stand News #Aug20
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1361504794044825&extid=XqzSwPQH0G21ei9D

#PoliceState #PoliticalSuppression #DistrictCouncil
Hong Kong Government Paralyses the Operation of Pro-Democracy District Council

Citing pandemic prevention as a reason, the government's Home Affairs Bureau (#HAB) has restricted the District Council, which are generated through direct elections, to convene only one meeting of less than 2 hours every week. Likewise, the government's secretariat will only provide secretarial services to the Council once a week.

The government's secretary to the Yuen Long District Council has, for instance, changed the meeting schedule of the District Facility Committee without prior consultation and notification. Pro-democracy district councillor, Ben Wai-pan Ho, who is also the chairperson to the Healthcare and Food Safety Committee, condemned the behaviour for impairing the function and operation of the district council, “without the authorisation of the commitee chairperson, it’s ultra vires for the secretary to change the meeting schedule."

Ho originally had planned a meeting for the Healthcare and Food Safety Committee on Aug 20; however, due to the clash of schedule, the meeting had to take place at a councillor’s office, instead of a formal venue provided by the government.

Similarly, the Sai Kung District Council called for a meeting for the Community Building and Innovative Committee. Since the government has restricted the District Council to use meeting room only once a week, the meeting venue had to change from the Government Complex in Tseung Kwan O to the village hall of the Tin Ha Wan Village.

Sai Kung district council chairperson, Chung Kam-Lun, criticised that the government has been made moves without prior consultation and these new regulations and arrangements were not “logical”. He said, “we don’t have any support, even when district council meeting is by law exempted from group gathering ban”.

Source: InMedia #Aug20
https://bit.ly/2CJlI8R
https://bit.ly/3aS9zeF

#Injustice #Court #JudicialIndepedence #TeresaCheng
HK Secretary for Justice Intervenes Private Prosecution Against Pro-government driver, allowing defendant lawyer to recoup legal fee from pro-democratic lawmaker

Source: Stand News #Aug20 #Aug24

Read more
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24521

#Injustice #Court #JudicialIndepedence #TeresaCheng
HK Secretary for Justice Intervenes Private Prosecution Against Pro-government driver, allowing defendant lawyer to recoup legal fee from pro-democratic lawmaker

Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung initiated a private prosecution in February against Henry Cheng Kwok-chun, a driver who rammed his car into a crowd of pro-democracy protesters and severely wounding at least one young woman in 2019.

On August 20, 2020, it was revealed that Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng had taken the rare step of intervening in the case, informing Hui that the Department of Justice would exercise its power to end the case and that the defendant Cheng would be exempted from testifying in court.

Subsequently, the law firm representing Cheng wrote to Hui’s lawyer in bid of seeking HK$82,000 to cover its expenses. The law firm representing the defendant, K.C Ho & Fong, has Beijing loyalist Junius Ho Kwan-yiu as a senior partner. The litigation fees include lawyer’s fee for Junius Ho at HK$9,400 per hour, stating the reason that “the summons should never have been taken out by the applicant at all”.

Disapproving the claim and the Secretary for Justice’s intervention, Hui called it absurd, pointing out that the authorities are attempting to frame this private prosecution as a trivial act with malicious intention. Hui believes that any sensible person could see the reasonable doubt in Cheng purposefully driving his car into the crowd.

As of August 24, the request of the Secretary for Justice was formalized in court.

Source: Stand News #Aug20 #Aug24
https://bit.ly/2E0xlZT
https://bit.ly/3aQEzvr

#PoliceState #PoliceBrutality #FailedState #TedHui #JuniusHo

US universities allow anonymous online discussion, warn of sensitive course materials due to Hong Kong National Security Law

Universities are supposed to be a platform for freedom of speech and academic freedom. However, some of universities in the United States(U.S.) have imposed new measures to protect students from falling into legal traps because of the Hong Kong National Security Law, including concealing students' identities, reminding students that lesson content may violate the law, or even allowing students not to participate in the class discussion should they be in fear of violating the law.

The Hong Kong National Security Law covers violation anywhere in the world. US universities are always a popular choice for students from China and Hong Kong, so the universities also have to prepare for the National Security Law before the course starts this autumn. The Wall Street Journal stated some of the top universities would remind students that the course content may be classified as "politically sensitive” by the Chinese Government. The schools started to formulate new policies to protect the identities of staff and students, to avoid legal troubles due to the law. The Chinese Politics curriculum at Princeton University requires students to use a nickname instead of a real name, protecting their identities. Among the colleges, some professors at Amherst College plan to have anonymous online communication in order to ensure students can express their opinions freely.

These decisions were made for online learning this semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for Chinese and Hong Kong international students who cannot attend lessons in the United States. Some scholars worry that the classes may be recorded, and even sent to the relevant Chinese authorities. According to data for the 2018-2019 academic year, there were 370,000 Chinese students and 7,000 Hong Kong students studying in US colleges and universities.

Article 38 gives the Hong Kong National Security Law “extraterritorial jurisdiction" covering offences committed overseas by non-Hong Kong residents. Even if they are not permanent Hong Kong residents and not inside the Hong Kong border, they are also under the regulation of this law. Offenders may be arrested once they step into Hong Kong.

#US #COVID19 #HiddenIdentity #Chinese #HK #PrincetonUniversity

Source: Stand News #Aug20

https://bit.ly/31szhTH