📡Guardians of Hong Kong
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#FirstHand #Video #Apr20
Security Guard Claims to be Injured, Requests Police Presence Before Boarding Ambulance

The head of security guard of the estate was escorted to an ambulance by police officers after residents denounced his actions tonight. He was seen leading police to the unit where the incident took place, and had taken part in driving away reporters and district councilors. Residents also said that he had used obscene language towards them.

The security guard was encircled on the scene by local residence earlier tonight and reported that his waist was injured. An ambulance was called to the scene. He requested for the presence of the police before boarding on to the ambulance. As a result, the Shatin police station sent more than 50 police officers to the scene.

#PoliceState
Media is too big
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#FirstHand #Apr20
Estate Security Manager Confirms Need to Record Identification of All Non-residents

22:53 | Kwong Yuen Estate
Residents of Kwong Yuen Estate went to seek confirmation from the Estate Security Manager that any non-resident entering the building is required to register their identification document to security personnel to safeguard the safety of residents.

Security Guard Suspected of Not Recording Police Identification 
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19661
#FirstHand #Apr20
Riot Police Cordons Off Security Office and Flashes Torchlight at Journalists, Obstructing Reporting

22:53 | Kwong Yuen Estate
A team of riot police entered Estate Security Office and a cordon line was set up immediately outside the office. Police officers with warning flags were sighted on the scene while officers at the door flashed torch lights at reporters, obstructing the reporting of news.
Media is too big
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#FirstHand #Apr20
Security Guard Suspected of Not Recording Police Identification 

22:33 | Kwong Yuen Estate
The security Guard of Oak House did not put down the identification details of the police officers entering the building, stirring up discontent among the residents.

Residents asked for the record of the In/Out Register of the building and pointed out that they can seek assistance from Chairman of Owners’ Corporation and Security Manager.
#DailyUpdate #Apr20 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (20/4)

At the time of writing, 2,430,923 cases of the coronavirus had been confirmed with 166,278 deaths worldwide. 210 countries and territories are under effect of the virus. The US, Spain, Italy and France continue to be the worst affected countries by the current pandemic. 637,361 cases have recovered.

Hong Kong has reported no new cases today, first since 5th Mar.

A recovered individual in Hong Kong has tested positive after discharging from hospital. The hospital said that it is a false positive.

Hong Kong expert Dr David Hui expects the social distancing measures would be prolonged and classes won’t resumed soon.

The Chinese authorites have reported 12 new cases today.

In Wuhan, 2 doctors have their skins blackened after infected.

Dr Li Wenliang, the initial whistleblower in China has been awarded the National Financial May Fourth Youth Medal.

The epidemic in Harbin, China has spread to Liaoning and Inner Mongolia (South Mongolia), local authorities blame civilians and hospitals for putting their guards down and lead to the second wave of transmission.

Spain and Germany are planning to lighten some social distancing measures such as allowing citizens head out for jogs and reopen some shops.

At least 24 sailors from the Taiwanese navy fleet “Fleet of Friendship” have contracted the virus, experts believed there were at least 6 waves of transmission.

Singapore has reported 1426 new cases, breaking the daily record.

Protests against stay-at-home orders break out in America, with footages showing medical workers standing to stop the protestors.

Multiple states and corporations in America hoped to restart economy through antibody inspections, however the accuracy is doubted due to most testing kits are made in China.

State of Ohio, Texas and Florida expressed the intention to restart economy before 1st May, following the instruction from the White House.

Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio encouraged civilians to take photo and report those who gather publicly.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said lockdown would not be lightened currently.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said despite the anti-epidemic work is successful, France has yet to step out of danger.

Source: Worldometer, Now News
#Teargas #Death #HongKongprotests
'Housewife' Protestor Dies of Breathing Problem, Family Suspects Tear Gas Plays a Role

During the Anti-extradition law protests in 2019, Hong Kong police had fired over 10,000 shots of tear gas, causing unprecedented harm to those who breathed in the gas.

A “peaceful, rational non- violent” female protestor in her fifties participated in multiple protests since last October, hoping to protect younger protestors as a “housewife”. She breathed in tear gas in Shatin Lucky Plaza, the Chinese University and the Polytechnic University, and was once hospitalised for breathing difficulty. On 2nd December 2019, she passed away at home due to expiratory dyspnea.

Her daughter suspected that the tear gas contained toxic matters which cause her mother’s death, and thus appealed for public attention to the consequences of tear gas. She demanded the police reveal the constituent of the gas, "If there’s no problem with the gas, why don’t they be open about it?”

Source: Ming Pao #Apr20
Rashomon: Different Stories Told by Police and District Councillor Regarding An Arrested Citizen

Part 1:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19752
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Contrastingly, a district councillor whom the arrested man had contact with stated that the man sells war-game gears for a living. He has sought assistance from the councilor a week before the arrest. The man said that he has been followed and there were hidden cameras installed in front of his company and his house. The man also asked the district councillor to help him seek assistance from a lawyer when he is in danger.

Source: Apple Daily #Apr21
#PoliceState #Arrest #OakHouse #LegalAssistance

A Chronicle of Events During the Arrest on #Apr20:

1. Police Makes Arrest Refusing Presence of Lawyers, Councilors and Reporters
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19655

2. Security Guard Claims to be Injured, Requests Police Presence Before Boarding Ambulance
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19656

3. Riot Police Cordon Off Security Office and Flash Torchlight at Journalists, Obstructing Reporting
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19660

4. Police Disperse Residents inside Housing Estate
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19666
#Article22 #CCPLies
Hard evidence refutes China's Liaison Office’s Recent Forceful Interpretation of Hong Kong Basic Law Article 22

Image:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19793

Last week, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong forcefully re-interpreted Article 22 of Hong Kong's constitution the Basic Law. Beijing tried to justify their power to over the internal affairs of Hong Kong, which is in theory disallowed by law.

Although the pro-Beijing camp supported the Liaison Office’s statement, the memoir of Jiang EnZhu, the first director of the Liaison Office evidently stated that after the 1997 handover, Xinhua News Agency Hong Kong Branch was renamed into the Liaison Office to reflect its new mandates, including not interfering in Hong Kong affairs as the city enjoys autonomy.

Chinese official Jiang EnZhu was the President of Xinhua News Agency in 1997. The Agency was later restructured and renamed as Liaison office in January 2000 where Jiang was appointed as the Director. Two years later, he was elected as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of National People’s Congress.

In his memoir, Jiang mentioned several times that “there is no subordinate relations between the HKSAR government and the Liaison Office”. He also stated that the Office will "perform its duties strictly in accordance with the Central People's Government and abide by the policies of One Country, Two Systems, the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong and a high degree of autonomy.”

According to Jiang, the main duties of the new Liaison Office include maintaining contact with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the PLA Garrison in the HKSAR. “The renaming exercise will not empower the liaison office to become the second power center.” The then representative of the National People's Congress of Hong Kong, Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai also cited Jiang’s statement emphasizing that the office will abide by the Basic Law.

Source: Apple Daily #Apr20

Further reading :
Jiang Enzhu on Renaming Xinhua Hong Kong Branch
http://en.people.cn/english/200001/17/eng20000117N126.html

#Authoritarianism #OneCountryTwoSystems
#Article22 #BarAssociation #Statement
Further Statement of the Hong Kong Bar Association:

"Current uncertainty contributes to undermining confidence in both the CPG’s and the HKSAR Government’s commitment to the principle and practice of one-country, two-system"

On Article 22 of the Basic Law
Under the constitutional framework of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Basic Law is a national law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), having been enacted by the National People’s Congress pursuant to Article 31 of the Constitution of the PRC.

Article 11 of the Basic Law provides:
“In accordance with Article 31 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the systems and policies practised in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, including the social and economic systems, the system for safeguarding the fundamental rights and freedoms of its residents, the executive, legislative and judicial systems, and the relevant policies, shall be based on the provisions of this Law.”

The “relevant polices” as mentioned and enshrined in the Basic Law include that the HKSAR shall enjoy “a high degree of autonomy” (Article 12) and executive, legislative and judicial powers, including the power of final adjudication (Article 2), whilst the Central People's Government (CPG) shall be responsible for the foreign affairs and defence relating to the HKSAR (Articles 13 and 14).

As to HKSAR’s internal affairs, Article 22(1) provides:
“No department of the Central People's Government and no province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government may interfere in the affairs which the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region administers on its own in accordance with this Law.”

The effect of Article 22 is to prohibit interference in the internal affairs of the HKSAR by any part of the CPG, which is itself bound by the provisions of the Basic Law, being a national law of the PRC, including Article 22(1). After public comments made last week by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) and the Liaison Office of the CPG in the HKSAR (LOCPG) in respect of a recent Court of Appeal judgment on the Emergency Regulations Ordinance and affairs in Legislative Council and public reaction to them (including a statement issued by HKBA on 14 April 2020), the LOCPG on 17 April 2020 made further public statements on the meaning of Article 22(1) of the Basic Law.

The LOCPG said that it and the HKMAO are not “department[s] of the Central People's Government” within the meaning of Article 22(1). It went on to say that they were bodies authorised by the CPG to handle HKSAR’s affairs and had the right to exercise supervision and express serious views on affairs regarding HKSAR and the Mainland.

The implication the LOCPG seeks to convey is that the LOCPG and the HKMAO are somehow excluded from the non-interference principle guaranteed by Article 22(1).

Continue Reading Part 2
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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19831

Source: HKCNews #Apr20
#BasicLaw #OneCountryTwoSystems
#Article22 #BarAssociation #Statement
Further Statement of the Hong Kong Bar Association:

"Current uncertainty contributes to undermining confidence in both the CPG’s and the HKSAR Government’s commitment to the principle and practice of one-country, two-system"


Part 1:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/19830
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Over the weekend of 18-19 April 2020, the HKSAR Government issued no fewer than 3 public
statements reflecting a degree of hesitation and confusion about the status of the LOCPG under Article 22. The HKBA notes that the HKSAR Government had previously presented a paper to the Legislative Council in 2007, unequivocally confirming that the LOCPG is an office of the CPG set up in Hong Kong with the consent of HKSARG Government under Art 22(3), and that the HKSAR Government had published the details of the LOCPG as one of 3 offices of the CPG set up in HKSAR in Gazette No. 3/2000 after its name change from “Xinhua News Agency”.

The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs had also in 2018 confirmed that personnel of the LOCPG must abide by the laws of Hong Kong in accordance with Article 22. Regrettably, the recent public statements made by the LOCPG and the HKSAR Government
on such a highly important legal issue have caused deep public unease. As mentioned, the CPG is itself bound by the Basic Law.

There would appear to be no question but that the HKMAO, being an administrative agency of the State Council of the PRC, and the LOCPG, being the Liaison Office of the CPG in HKSAR, are bound by the Basic Law, including the prohibition of interference in the internal affairs of the HKSAR under Article 22(1).

In any event, there is no provision in the Basic Law which confers on the HKMAO and LOCPG the power of “supervision” over affairs which the HKSAR administers on its own. If "supervision" by the HKMAO and LOCPG is intended to connote their intervention in matters falling within the remit of the HKSAR's autonomy under the Basic Law, as opposed to observing and reporting back to the CPG, such a role would be inconsistent with Articles 11, 12 and 22 of the Basic Law.

The recent statements of the LOCPG and the HKSAR Government are plainly inconsistent with what was said by the HKSAR Government in 2007 and 2018. On such an important issue, and given the plain and obvious meaning of Article 22 of the Basic Law, the people of Hong Kong are entitled to a clear, reasoned and properly supported exposition of the legal position. The current uncertainty contributes to undermining confidence in both the CPG’s and the HKSAR Government’s commitment to the principle and practice of one-country, two-system enshrined in the Basic Law.

Source: HKCNews #Apr20
#BasicLaw #OneCountryTwoSystems
Hong Kong’s autonomy has been tragically destroyed

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has crushed remaining vestiges of Hong Kong’s autonomy with sweeping legislation that transformed semi-democratic elections in the territory to a Beijing-controlled selection process. Despite Canada’s national obligations as an endorser to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the Canadian government has done little to hold Beijing accountable.

Under the guise of complying with the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration, Beijing loyalists enjoy an overwhelming, de facto advantage. Public office nominees will now be vetted by Beijing and there will be pro-Beijing majority in Hong Kong’s legislature. Despite official’s repeated assertions that the latest electoral “reforms” strengthens Hong Kong’s “democracy,” the message is loud and clear: Hong Kong is now fully under Beijing’s control.

Source: The Star #Apr20

https://t.co/dvoRphtZjd

#China #Canada #HongKong #Beijing
Taiwan seizes chance to host foreign reporters kicked out of China
 

Taiwan is courting journalists fleeing China, spotting an opportunity to boost its visibility and build international support as concerns mount that Beijing is flirting with the idea of invading the country.

 Last year, more than 20 journalists made the journey across the Taiwan Strait from China. Many had published articles critical of human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang and the government’s early handling of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan.

Source: Financial Times #Apr20

https://www.ft.com/content/ab588fed-fc21-4b19-b601-538d87d79db3
 
#Journalists #Taiwan #China
#PressFreedom #Journalism
Hong Kong Ranked 80th out of 180 in #WorldPressIndex 2021

//The national security law that the Chinese government adopted in June 2020, allowing it to intervene directly in Hong Kong in order to arbitrarily punish what it regards as “crimes against the state,” is especially dangerous for journalists.

Jimmy Lai, the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and an RSF Press Freedom Prize laureate, has been arrested and charged under this law and is facing a possible life sentence.

The public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is being subjected to a full-blown intimidation campaign by the government with the aim of restricting its editorial autonomy.//

Image: Stand News
Source: Reporters Without Border #Apr20 https://rsf.org/en/hong-kong
#Court #PoliticalProsecution
HK Police Accuses 4 University Students of Rioting, One Carries Note that Reads “To all Hong Kongers, we must win”

Source: Apple News #Apr20

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#Court #PoliticalProsecution
HK Police Accuses 4 University Students of Rioting, One Carries Note that Reads “To all Hong Kongers, we must win”

During their siege of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in November 2019, the Hong Kong police confronted pro-democracy protesters at the No. 2 Bridge.

Afterwards, the police entered the campus, fired tear gas grenades and subdued civilians.

Among them, 3 male and 1 female university students were charged with rioting, violating the mask ban law and possessing offensive weapons. They were trialed on April 20, 2022 at the Wan Chai District Court. The case was handked by dstrict judge Clement Lee Hing-nin was .

In its opening statement, the prosecution said that a piece of paper was found after the police conducted body search on one of the students that was accused of rioting.

The note read “To all Hong Kongers, we must win”. The prosecution accused the student of rioting based on his all-black outfit, his presence at the riot scene, and the fact that he escaped when subdued by the police.

Source: Apple News #Apr20

https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20210420/QDAMBY2YMRCKDLGB37SEXN6KX4/

#CUHKSiege #Rioting #PoliceState #UniversityStudents #PoliticalPrisoner
Huawei allegedly spies on Dutch telecom users including political figures, arose Dutch regulators investigation

Source: Stand News #Apr20

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Huawei allegedly spies on Dutch telecom users including political figures, arose Dutch regulators investigation

Netherland's media De Volkskrant obtained a confidential document alleges that Huawei had access to monitor the calls of users of KPN, the largest telecommunications network in the Netherlands, 10 years ago. The Guardian reported that the confidential report, made for KPN by the Capgemini consultancy firm in 2010, concluded that Huawei could have been monitoring the calls of approximately 6.5 million users without KPN’s knowledge, including politicians such as former prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Chinese dissidents. Both KPN and Huawei deny the allegations. The Dutch telecommunications regulator announced on Monday (19 April) that it will investigate the incident.

According to the report, Huawei staff in the Netherlands and China could have monitored calls made by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, local dignitaries, and Chinese dissidents. "The continued existence of KPN Mobile is in serious danger because permits may be revoked or the government and businesses may give up their confidence in KPN if it becomes known that the Chinese government can eavesdrop on KPN mobile numbers and shut down the network", de Volkskrant quotes the report.

Source: Stand News #Apr20

https://bit.ly/3txBRmn

#Huawei #Netherlands #Telecommunication #Politics #Eavesdrop #Investment #TheGuardians #KPN
Japanese media: Chinese People’s Liberation Army suspected instructing hackers to attack about 200 Japanese companies and research institutes 
 
Source: Stand News #Apr20

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Japanese media: Chinese People’s Liberation Army suspected instructing hackers to attack about 200 Japanese companies and research institutes 
 
Japan NHK quoted a news and stated, Tokyo police discovered there is a Chinese hacker organisation launched a large-scale cyber-attack on about 200 research institutes and private companies including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The Japanese authorities suspect that these hackers were instructed by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. 
 
The source revealed to the Japan Broadcasting Association, JAXA has been cyber-attacked in 2016. Tokyo police have targeted a 30-year-old Chinese system engineer, accusing him of being a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He was accused of renting domestic servers under a false name to attack the systems of multiple institutions. 
 
He is alleged to have forwarded these server numbers and related certificates to a Chinese hacker organisation called Tick. The man has left Japan, but the Japanese Metropolitan Police Department submitted the man’s case to the prosecutor as early as Tuesday, accusing him of falsifying digital records.  
 
Source: Stand News #Apr20

 https://bit.ly/33ySrYc
 
#China #Japan #NHK #Tokyo #Hacker #JAXA #Engineer #CCP #Communist #Server #Tick  
Human Right Watch report: Crimes against humanity are occurring in Xinjiang, “Using UN investigations” and advocating various governments to sanction and prosecute Chinese officials 
 

Source: Stand News #Apr20

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