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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#AnalyticalEssay

What Lies Behind Carrie Lam's Emergency Powers from the Emergency Regulations Ordinance (ERO)?

Carrie Lam had invoked the Emergency Regulations Ordinance (ERO) on October 4 to forcefully implement the Anti-Mask Ban. Several pro-democracy legislators have suggested the following implications as a result:

1) The government can use ERO to lengthen the duration of detention from 48 hours to 96 hours, which was suggested by the Pro-Beijing party.

2) The exemption of anti-mask law is very sloppy as a law which does not clearly state the exemption for voluntary first aiders, social workers and journalists.

3) Anti-mask law does not cover the campus but the Education Bureau asked students not to wear mask both inside and outside campus and overpowered the schools to issue reply slip to parents on their behalf.

Therefore, the implementation of the anti-mask law by involving the Emergency Regulations Ordinance is just the start. In the long run, it is much more evil and closer to #Totalitarianism.


Source: Stand News
https://bit.ly/30OgVcn

#whiteterror #AntiMaskLaw #EmergencyLaw #ERO #PoliceState
International Assistance Sought to Relieve Hong Kong's Plight

China's undertaking of "one country, two systems" and high degree of autonomy are gone as the National People's Congress (NPC) has introduced a draft decision of national security law for Hong Kong.

Once passed, the decision would allow the NPC's Standing Committee to entirely bypass the local legislative process in Hong Kong.

Joshua Wong has been exerting unwavering effort in seeking international assistance to Hong Kong's democratic movement.

He has talked about how China revealed the truth of COVID-19, whereas Hong Kongers have been standing at the forefront against China's #totalitarianism.

Joshua hopes that the international community would not, just for the economic benefits that China has to offer, indulge China in trampling further on human rights.

He urges the U.S government to execute the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, to impose sanctions on China, and to include human rights terms in relation to Hong Kong into trade treaties it is about to conclude with China.

Joshua asks again the international community to stand with Hong Kong on the issues of #democracy and human rights.

#StandWithHK #freedom #HumanRight #China #NationalSecurityLaw

Further reading:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/24/this-is-final-nail-coffin-hong-kongs-autonomy/
A breakdown of how Hong Kong's National Security Law works.

#NationalSecurityLaw
#CCP #PoliceState
#Totalitarianism
#RulebyLaw #FailedState #1C1S #Brainwashing
Carrie Lam Denies Separation of Powers in Hong Kong: "Power is Authorized by Beijing and Executed by the Chief Executive"


According to Stand News, the term "separation of laws" appeared for over 100 times (149 counts in Chinese and 129 counts in English) in the legal documents and ruling records collected in the Hong Kong legal database. The term was also cited by Chief Justice Geofrey Ma as an important aspect to uphold in Hong Kong.

Nevertheless, the Carrie Lam adminstration has proactively denied the "separation of powers" since August 31, 2020.

• In a press meeting on Sept 1, Carrie Lam said she "fully agreed" with the statement issued by Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung on Aug 31 that “Hong Kong has never enjoyed the separation of powers”.

• Carrie Lam said the Basic Law stated that Hong Kong "only" has a high degree of autonomy, but not full autonomy in executive, legislative and judicial authorities. Lam emphasized that power is not shared with Beijing.

• Carrie Lam said the political structure of the HKSAR is an Executive-led system headed by the Chief Executive (CE).

• Executive authorities, the legislature and the judiciary have their respective powers and responsibilities to maintain the system of check and balance. However, Lam reiterated that all these divisions have to report to the CE who then makes reports to Beijing.

• Carrie Lam called the idea of Hong Kong enjoying the separation of powers "wrong" and "inadequate". Lam accused "some people" of having "limited capacity to comprehend" and "intentions to misguide and create conflicts".

Source: InMedia; Stand News #Sept1
https://bit.ly/2QJexkA
https://bit.ly/32JQXJX

#SeparationOfPowers #CarrieLam #Totalitarianism
#PoliticalOppression #Totalitarianism #SeparationofPowers
Hong Kong Government Propagates China's Interpretation of the "Three Powers" and Erases Past Sayings

Source: Apple Daily; Stand News #Sept1

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24819
#PoliticalOppression #Totalitarianism #SeparationofPowers
Hong Kong Government Propagates China's Interpretation of the "Three Powers" and Erases Past Sayings

The “Separation of Powers” points to the separation of the Executive branch, the Legislature and the Judiciary. According to Article 64 in Hong Kong's Basic Law, the executive organisation should be under the supervision of legislative organisation. Hong Kong's Chief Justice Geofrey Ma clearly stated in 2014: "The Basic Law sets out clearly the principle of the separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary."

Beijing, however, perceived the "three powers" very differenly when compared to the conception of the "separation of powers" in Hong Kong.

In 2008, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping proposed the “cooperation of 3 powers”, which is the opposite of the "separation of powers". Then-Chief Justice of Hong Kong Andrew Li Kwok-Nang denounced the idea.

During the anti-ELAB movement in 2019, Han Zheng, the vice-premier of the PRC's State Council, claimed that the "three powers had the responsibilities to stop the riot". The claim was immediately disproved by Geoffrey Ma, the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong.

Next to the theory of “3 Powers cooperation”, Zhang Xiaoming, former director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, once claimed that the Chief Executive had supreme power over the "3 powers".

Following these sayings in recent years, the pro-Beijing camp and Chinese-stated own media continuously whitewashed the population's valorization of the separarion of powers, by claiming that “Hong Kong never enjoys the separation of powers" and that "Hong Kong is running on a executive-led system".

Source: Apple Daily; Stand News #Sept1
https://bit.ly/32JQXJX
#WhiteWash #BrainWash #Totalitarianism
Hong Kong Authorities Eradicate All Mentionings of "Separation of Powers" From Textbooks, their Websites and Database

Source: Stand News; Apple Daily #Sept1
#SeparationsofPower

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/24821
#WhiteWash #BrainWash #Totalitarianism
Hong Kong Authorities Eradicate All Mentionings of "Separation of Powers" From Textbooks, their Websites and Database

It was recently found that the Education Bureau in Hong Kong has removed the description of “Separation of Three Powers” from high school textbooks.

On 31 August, 2020, Secretary for Education Kelvin Yeung defended the procedure and asked the public and the media not to compare the previous and newer versions of the textbooks.

Yeung emphasized that the textbook content should align with the objectives and the purpose of the subject, “the fact that there is no separation of powers should be stated clearly in the textbooks". Yeung continued, “people can’t criticise the deleted content on the ground as the older version hasn’t been assessed officially. Rhey are not comparable.”

Tin Fong-Chak, Vice-Chairman of Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union and liberal studies teacher, pointed out that the Chief Justice and scholars have recognised the separation of powers as a “common sense” in Hong Kong. Even if the government disagrees with this viewpoint, it should give room for discussion and allow different opinions in society, rather than erasing the whole part without any consultation.

Tin emphasised that liberal studies is not a propaganda tool but a site for understanding different views. If the authorities make changes without any consultation, teachers would be placed under pressure. According to Tin, civil and legal education are currently regressing in Hong Kong.

Source: Apple Daily; Stand News #Sept1
https://bit.ly/3gM4sxN

https://www.facebook.com/105259197447/posts/10159407325917448/
#1C1S #SeparationofPowers
Beijing Loyalist Cojoins Carrie Lam: No separation of powers in Hong Kong

Jasper Tsang Yuk-sing is the former president of LegCo and the founding member of the pro-Beijing party DAB in Hong Kong. Tsang joined the debates about "separation of powers" by supporting Chief Executive Carrie Lam and Secretary for Education Kelvin Yeung Yun-hung. Tsang said their ”no separation of powers” statement was "consistent with common knowledge".

Tsang also claimed that the Hong Kong system was different from the US referring to the ”separation of powers", and thus it was inaccurate to consider the “separation of powers” as an essential part of democracy.

He said Hong Kong has already “moved forward”, compared with the time before the handover, giving an example that Basic law clearly states officers can’t be lawmakers concurrently after 1997, which was once legitimate.

Source: Cupid Producer #Sept4
#Totalitarianism #RuleByLaw #FailedState #JasperTsang #CarrieLam #KelvinYeung
#LegCo #FailedState #CCPControl
Carrie Lam: "We will be much excited if the Legislature can pass controversial motions ASAP"

In a press conference held by the Carrie Lam administration on November 11, 2020, the Hong Kong SAR government welcomed Beijing's order to remove 4 elected pro-democracy lawmakers immediately in Hong Kong:

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/26558

In the Q&A session, a reporter, referring to the domination of pro-Beijing camp in the Legislativec Council (LegCo), asked, "Would the HKSAR government be ashamed of the fast-paced passing of controversial motions like extra-territorial voting and land reclamation project "Lantau Tomorrow Vision"?

Carrie Lam answered, "[There is] nothing to be ashamed of... We'll be exceedingly excited if the LegCo passes them as soon as they can."

Source: Stand News #Nov22

Read more:
All Pro-democracy Lawmakers Quit HK's Legislature
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/26565

#CarrieLam #LantauTomorrowVision #ExtraterritorialVoting
#LegCo #Totalitarianism
#Education #PoliticalSuppression
One More Teacher Disqualified by Education Bureau

The Education Bureau in Hong Kong disqualified one more teacher on November 12, 2020.

The Bureau announced that it issued a letter to a primary school teacher for "making serious mistakes" in teaching, "lacking competence" as a teacher and "not preparing for class", suggesting that teacher was not qualified, and thus the teacher's license was removed according to Education Ordinance.

According to various news sources, it was a General Studies primary school teacher from Ho Lap Primary School.

In April 2020, the said teacher introduced the opium war in a primary 2 General Studies class, and explained that UK started the Opium War to destroy opium in China.

The same teacher was accused of giving "wrong explaination" on the motive for ancient Chinese to invent paper as "substituting turtle shell and animals' bones in order to prevent the extinction of animals".

The Bureau stressed that the content "is obviously wrong and ridiculous".

Nevertheless, what the teacher had said actually came from the Education TV program (#ETV) produced by the Bureau itself.

Even if it is wrong, the teacher should not be banned for life.

Source: Stand News #Nov13
#Totalitarianism #Teachers
#Save12HKYouths #HumanitarianCrisis
No Torture, No Forced Labour, No Hunger, No Beatings: Suspicious Letters From Hongkongers Detained in China

On November 19, 2020, familes of some of the 12 pro-democracy Hongkongers detained in China received "letters" from their close ones. This was the first time ever since August 23, 2020 that the familes "heard" from the disappeared Hongkongers. For nearly 90 days, the captured Hongkongers were not trialed but detained in China and visits by the lawyers hired by their families were denied by the Chinese authorities.

However, the handwritten letters have similar content, simplified Chinese characters which are not in use in Hong Kong and expression which are not usually used by Hongkongers.

The following is taken from a RTHK report:

//The Save 12 HK Youths Concern Group says letters received by seven of the families all stress that the detainees are well and that they should not worry, with some stating that they have not been beaten, forced to work, or confess under torture.

"I didn't get beaten up by people, my cellmates all have a very harmonious relationship. I eat well and sleep well ... I will return after shouldering my responsibility," says a letter purported to be from one of the detainees which was made public by the group.

…family members recognise the handwriting in the letters, but find the content to be very suspicious, as if it was written in accordance with some kind of template.

"There are a number of suspicions regarding the wording, including the use of simplified Chinese characters and some Chinese writing styles that more closely resemble those used in mainland China than in Hong Kong. In particular the descriptions of life in the detention centre are largely similar," the concern group says in a statement. 

It adds that the families doubt the detainees wrote the letters of their own free will, noting that mainland prisoners involved in human rights cases in the past have been forced to write letters to their families with the content dictated by the authorities.//

Source: RTHK; Save 12 HK Youths Concern Group #Nov19

news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1560905-20201119.htmz

#Letter #CCPLies #Totalitarianism #Censorship
#Totalitarianism #Bank
HSBC, Heng Seng Bank and Bank of China Freeze Exiled #TedHui and His Family's Accounts

Former lawmaker and former member of Democratic Party Ted Hui announced his plan to go into self-exile on Dec 3, 2020.

Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27077


On Dec 5, 2020, at least three banks in Hong Kong including HSBC, Heng Seng Bank and Bank of China suspend at least 5 accounts held by Hui and his family members being his parents and his wife.

According to Hui, his lifelong saving of several millions Hong Kong dollars has been frozen. Hui recently left Hong Kong to conduct a 3-day visit in Denmark. He announced his self exile plan after the trip and arrived in London on Dec 4 (local time).

Source: Apple Daily; Stand News #Dec5
https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20201205/B6SFRTCBEVD23KGXWTMPTNFJ5A/

https://bit.ly/3qwn9f6

#HSBC #BankOfChina #HengSengBank