#LegCo #Election
HK Government Orders #CivilServants to Assist in Electoral Office
In Hong Kong, Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen sent a letter to all civil servants, saying that he had ordered the head of all government departments to assign civil servants to serve as electoral staff at poll stations in the upcoming Legislative Council (LegCo) election.
He added that civil servants are the "backbone of the government" and it is also their duty to make sure the election will be staged smoothly.
It was estimated that a total of 36,000 staff will be necessary on the election day.
Those assigned as electoral staff will face disciplinary actions if they fail to perform their duties or fail to report to the polling stations.
In the past, the administration has never made it mandatory for civil servants to assist in election routine.
Source: Stand News; #Oct29 https://thestandnews.page.link/fuL1JBWdMM43ANZc8
#FailedState #Regime #ElectoralOffice #LegCoElection #HongKongElection #PatrickNip
HK Government Orders #CivilServants to Assist in Electoral Office
In Hong Kong, Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen sent a letter to all civil servants, saying that he had ordered the head of all government departments to assign civil servants to serve as electoral staff at poll stations in the upcoming Legislative Council (LegCo) election.
He added that civil servants are the "backbone of the government" and it is also their duty to make sure the election will be staged smoothly.
It was estimated that a total of 36,000 staff will be necessary on the election day.
Those assigned as electoral staff will face disciplinary actions if they fail to perform their duties or fail to report to the polling stations.
In the past, the administration has never made it mandatory for civil servants to assist in election routine.
Source: Stand News; #Oct29 https://thestandnews.page.link/fuL1JBWdMM43ANZc8
#FailedState #Regime #ElectoralOffice #LegCoElection #HongKongElection #PatrickNip
#Election #Arrest
Police Arrest Three Civilians
Over Call to Cast #BlankVotes in #LegCoElection in Hong Kong
Source: Stand News, HK Free Press; #Nov9
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Police Arrest Three Civilians
Over Call to Cast #BlankVotes in #LegCoElection in Hong Kong
Source: Stand News, HK Free Press; #Nov9
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#Election #Arrest
Police Arrest Three Civilians
Over Call to Cast #BlankVotes in #LegCoElection in Hong Kong
On November 9, 2021, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (#ICAC) in Hong Kong arrested three people for allegedly sharing an online message asking citizens to cast blank votes for the Legislative Council (#LegCo) elections scheduled for December 19, 2021.
The two men and one woman, aged between 29 and 65, are accused of violating the #ElectionOrdinance, which bans the incitement of others not to vote, or to cast an invalid vote during the election period.
The ICAC said its officers seized a number of mobile phones, claiming that the Commision will take resolute enforcement actions to combat conduct manipulating and sabotaging the election.
Just a day ago (November 8, 2021), the Secretary for Security Chris PK Tang criticized self-exiled, now Australia-based activist #TedHui. Tang, a former police commissioner, said that encouraging people not to vote or cast an invalid ballot in LegCo election may violate the national security law.
Source: Stand News, HK Free Press; #Nov9
https://thestandnews.page.link/2CPTWygRcdzAKBPy8
Police Arrest Three Civilians
Over Call to Cast #BlankVotes in #LegCoElection in Hong Kong
On November 9, 2021, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (#ICAC) in Hong Kong arrested three people for allegedly sharing an online message asking citizens to cast blank votes for the Legislative Council (#LegCo) elections scheduled for December 19, 2021.
The two men and one woman, aged between 29 and 65, are accused of violating the #ElectionOrdinance, which bans the incitement of others not to vote, or to cast an invalid vote during the election period.
The ICAC said its officers seized a number of mobile phones, claiming that the Commision will take resolute enforcement actions to combat conduct manipulating and sabotaging the election.
Just a day ago (November 8, 2021), the Secretary for Security Chris PK Tang criticized self-exiled, now Australia-based activist #TedHui. Tang, a former police commissioner, said that encouraging people not to vote or cast an invalid ballot in LegCo election may violate the national security law.
Source: Stand News, HK Free Press; #Nov9
https://thestandnews.page.link/2CPTWygRcdzAKBPy8
#OpinionArticle
Hong Kong’s Stage-Managed Election Is Fooling Nobody
//Arrangements for Hong Kong’s first legislative election under a revamped system are leaving little to chance. There must be competition — but not too much, and of the right kind. Meanwhile, the anti-corruption agency has warned against calls to cast blank ballots or abstain from voting — two of the few ways left for people to register disapproval of a Beijing-designed process from which political opposition has been excluded.
As of Nov. 3, five days after nominations opened, only 48 had been received for the 90 seats in the Legislative Council. The nomination period runs until Friday.
Hong Kong’s electoral system was always designed to favor pro-establishment interests. In the last LegCo election in 2016, when turnout reached a record 58%, only half the seats in a 70-member council were directly elected. After Beijing’s changes, just 20 seats, or less than a quarter of the expanded chamber, will be chosen by the full electorate of 4.5 million. Even if opposition candidates somehow got past new vetting procedures and achieved a clean sweep, they would still be in a minority. With the result not in doubt, such micro-management should be unnecessary. Why bother?
In practice, most authoritarian regimes attach a high significance to elections because they are seen as conferring legitimacy. Feigning conformity to established rules carries a ritual and symbolic power, as Lee Morgenbesser, who studies authoritarian systems at Australia’s Griffith University, has observed. Dictators from Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus to Syria’s Bashar Al-Assad have proclaimed a democratic mandate after elections that were clearly far from free and fair.
Autocracies have three, mutually reinforcing pillars of stability, according to the German political scientist Johannes Gerschewski: repression, co-optation and legitimation. After the instability of the 2019 pro-democracy protests, Hong Kong has relied primarily on the first, aided by a national security law that China imposed in mid-2020. Opposition candidates have been arrested, civil society has been hollowed out, and the media environment has become more constricted.//
Source: Bloomberg #Nov7
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-11-07/hong-kong-s-stage-managed-election-process-will-be-tested-by-turnout
#LegCo #Election #FailedState
Hong Kong’s Stage-Managed Election Is Fooling Nobody
//Arrangements for Hong Kong’s first legislative election under a revamped system are leaving little to chance. There must be competition — but not too much, and of the right kind. Meanwhile, the anti-corruption agency has warned against calls to cast blank ballots or abstain from voting — two of the few ways left for people to register disapproval of a Beijing-designed process from which political opposition has been excluded.
As of Nov. 3, five days after nominations opened, only 48 had been received for the 90 seats in the Legislative Council. The nomination period runs until Friday.
Hong Kong’s electoral system was always designed to favor pro-establishment interests. In the last LegCo election in 2016, when turnout reached a record 58%, only half the seats in a 70-member council were directly elected. After Beijing’s changes, just 20 seats, or less than a quarter of the expanded chamber, will be chosen by the full electorate of 4.5 million. Even if opposition candidates somehow got past new vetting procedures and achieved a clean sweep, they would still be in a minority. With the result not in doubt, such micro-management should be unnecessary. Why bother?
In practice, most authoritarian regimes attach a high significance to elections because they are seen as conferring legitimacy. Feigning conformity to established rules carries a ritual and symbolic power, as Lee Morgenbesser, who studies authoritarian systems at Australia’s Griffith University, has observed. Dictators from Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus to Syria’s Bashar Al-Assad have proclaimed a democratic mandate after elections that were clearly far from free and fair.
Autocracies have three, mutually reinforcing pillars of stability, according to the German political scientist Johannes Gerschewski: repression, co-optation and legitimation. After the instability of the 2019 pro-democracy protests, Hong Kong has relied primarily on the first, aided by a national security law that China imposed in mid-2020. Opposition candidates have been arrested, civil society has been hollowed out, and the media environment has become more constricted.//
Source: Bloomberg #Nov7
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-11-07/hong-kong-s-stage-managed-election-process-will-be-tested-by-turnout
#LegCo #Election #FailedState
Bloomberg.com
Hong Kong’s Stage-Managed Election Is Fooling Nobody
The trappings of democracy are important to an authoritarian system. Getting people to go to the polls may be the biggest challenge.
US and EU Responded to the Mass Disqualification of District Councillors
#HKSAR government demanded all #DistrictCouncillors (DC) in Hong Kong to take an oath earlier. 55 DC lost their seats in total as 49 councillors in democratic parties were disqualified due to invalid vows. 6 directly lost their seats due to the absence of #oath. More than 200 DC had resigned earlier due to the oath request.
The US State Department issued a statement on Oct 21, keeping their concerns to the #HumanRights and the #Freedom in Hong Kong, including the continuous erosion of political participation, especially under the National Security Law (#NSL) which increases prosecution with political motivation.
The statement also said that the prosecution was directed to teachers, unions, lawyers, journalists, medical staff, student unions and citizens. The mass DC disqualification is simply to stop HKers to manage their homeland meaningfully.
US State Department again called Beijing and the Hong Kong authority to release people who are detained unfairly, and stop the suppression of peaceful civil organizations. They also pointed out that HKers and the energetic civil society are always the biggest resources in Hong Kong, as well as the foundation of being a successful international finance hub. The US will continue to support HKers, their rights and their freedom.
EU: Chilling effect occurs under NSL
The #EU External Action Service issued another statement on the same day, saying that HK government disqualifying most of the democratic councillors means denying the DC #election result in 2019. And that excluding the democratic parties from the political participation would weaken Hong Kong democratic governance structure.
The EU indicated that the pressure of civil society is increasing as many unions and organizations in Hong Kong have disbanded. This, again, shows the chilling effect on the rights and freedom in Hong Kong under the NSL and becomes the core of suppressing dissidents.
Source: Stand News #Oct22
https://bit.ly/3DeyQgm
#Disqualification #TakeOath #US StateDepartment
#HKSAR government demanded all #DistrictCouncillors (DC) in Hong Kong to take an oath earlier. 55 DC lost their seats in total as 49 councillors in democratic parties were disqualified due to invalid vows. 6 directly lost their seats due to the absence of #oath. More than 200 DC had resigned earlier due to the oath request.
The US State Department issued a statement on Oct 21, keeping their concerns to the #HumanRights and the #Freedom in Hong Kong, including the continuous erosion of political participation, especially under the National Security Law (#NSL) which increases prosecution with political motivation.
The statement also said that the prosecution was directed to teachers, unions, lawyers, journalists, medical staff, student unions and citizens. The mass DC disqualification is simply to stop HKers to manage their homeland meaningfully.
US State Department again called Beijing and the Hong Kong authority to release people who are detained unfairly, and stop the suppression of peaceful civil organizations. They also pointed out that HKers and the energetic civil society are always the biggest resources in Hong Kong, as well as the foundation of being a successful international finance hub. The US will continue to support HKers, their rights and their freedom.
EU: Chilling effect occurs under NSL
The #EU External Action Service issued another statement on the same day, saying that HK government disqualifying most of the democratic councillors means denying the DC #election result in 2019. And that excluding the democratic parties from the political participation would weaken Hong Kong democratic governance structure.
The EU indicated that the pressure of civil society is increasing as many unions and organizations in Hong Kong have disbanded. This, again, shows the chilling effect on the rights and freedom in Hong Kong under the NSL and becomes the core of suppressing dissidents.
Source: Stand News #Oct22
https://bit.ly/3DeyQgm
#Disqualification #TakeOath #US StateDepartment
#LegCoElection #Censorship
Hong Kong Authorities Ban Citizens from Displaying "Hong Kong Add Oil" on Outfits
The postponed Hong Kong Legislative Council elections will take place on December 19, 2021, despite the majority of the pro-democracy camp was detained or sentenced to jail.
On December 14, 2021, #BarnabasFung, the chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (#EAC), said voters who have the words "Hong Kong Add Oil [Hang On]" on their outfit might be asked to cover them.
On a side note, staff at polling stations are not allowed to wear, in particular, yellow facemasks.
Source: InMedia #Dec14
https://bit.ly/3dLh4pX
#Regime #LegCo #Election #WhiteTerror
Hong Kong Authorities Ban Citizens from Displaying "Hong Kong Add Oil" on Outfits
The postponed Hong Kong Legislative Council elections will take place on December 19, 2021, despite the majority of the pro-democracy camp was detained or sentenced to jail.
On December 14, 2021, #BarnabasFung, the chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (#EAC), said voters who have the words "Hong Kong Add Oil [Hang On]" on their outfit might be asked to cover them.
On a side note, staff at polling stations are not allowed to wear, in particular, yellow facemasks.
Source: InMedia #Dec14
https://bit.ly/3dLh4pX
#Regime #LegCo #Election #WhiteTerror
#CallforAction
#HongKongWatch: Elections in Hong Kong Do Not Represent the Vox Populi of #Hongkongers
Hong Kong Watch is organising a social media campaign to call for people's attention to Hong Kong political issues, which include the upcoming #LegCoElections on #Dec19 2021 and the 47 pro-democracy activists and legislators imprisoned or under trial due to the pro-democracy primaries in 2020.
The organisation called for people to upload photos onto social media with the hashtags #ReleaseMyCandidate and/or #釋放我的候選人, stating that it could not represent the vox populi of Hongkongers.
Shortly after the campaign, many activists and politicians have started their participation, including Lord Alton of Liverpool, MEP Engin Eroglu, human rights activist Laura Harth and Hong Kong artiste Joe Tay.
To learn more about the campaign: https://twitter.com/hk_watch/status/1470428393057488903?s=21
Source: Hong Kong Watch
#Dec17
#Campaign #LegCo #Election #Primaries #NSL
#HongKongWatch: Elections in Hong Kong Do Not Represent the Vox Populi of #Hongkongers
Hong Kong Watch is organising a social media campaign to call for people's attention to Hong Kong political issues, which include the upcoming #LegCoElections on #Dec19 2021 and the 47 pro-democracy activists and legislators imprisoned or under trial due to the pro-democracy primaries in 2020.
The organisation called for people to upload photos onto social media with the hashtags #ReleaseMyCandidate and/or #釋放我的候選人, stating that it could not represent the vox populi of Hongkongers.
Shortly after the campaign, many activists and politicians have started their participation, including Lord Alton of Liverpool, MEP Engin Eroglu, human rights activist Laura Harth and Hong Kong artiste Joe Tay.
To learn more about the campaign: https://twitter.com/hk_watch/status/1470428393057488903?s=21
Source: Hong Kong Watch
#Dec17
#Campaign #LegCo #Election #Primaries #NSL
#Poll: More Voters Claim NOT to Vote at “Patriots-only” #LegCoElection in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (#HKIAPS) rolled out a public poll to gauge the populations sentiment towards the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong set on December 19, 2021.
32.8% of those responded said they will not cast vote, which was 2 percentage points over those affirmative to vote (30.8%). Another 17.4% claimed “may be” they will vote, while 19% claimed “undecided”.
The public poll was conducted between 29 November through 8 December, 2021 over telephone with 712 respondents aged above 18. Among them 92% claimed that they are eligible voters.
When asked about the level of attention on this election, 52.8% said they were not keen while 41.3% showed concern.
Source: Stand News; #Dec13
https://thestandnews.page.link/Gp5YuuhHBuJ5h1nD6
#BlankVotes #Election
The Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (#HKIAPS) rolled out a public poll to gauge the populations sentiment towards the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong set on December 19, 2021.
32.8% of those responded said they will not cast vote, which was 2 percentage points over those affirmative to vote (30.8%). Another 17.4% claimed “may be” they will vote, while 19% claimed “undecided”.
The public poll was conducted between 29 November through 8 December, 2021 over telephone with 712 respondents aged above 18. Among them 92% claimed that they are eligible voters.
When asked about the level of attention on this election, 52.8% said they were not keen while 41.3% showed concern.
Source: Stand News; #Dec13
https://thestandnews.page.link/Gp5YuuhHBuJ5h1nD6
#BlankVotes #Election
#LegCoElection
How Hongkongers Respond to "Patriot-Only" #Election
Source: Stand News; InMedia #Dec19
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
How Hongkongers Respond to "Patriot-Only" #Election
Source: Stand News; InMedia #Dec19
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#LegCoElection
How Hongkongers Respond to "Patriots-Only" #Election
After having been postponed for more than a year by the authorities, the Legislative Election took place in Hong Kong on December 19, 2021, when the majority of the city's pro-democracy camp are detained, jailed, or exiled. Prior to the election, public polls have shown that Hong Kong citizens expressed little interest in the "Patriots-Only" election.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31651
While the authorities have sent at least one SMS to the population (including non-voters) encouraging them to vote, at least ten civilians have been arrested for "inciting" others to cast #BlankVote or invalid vote. In addition, at least five exiled activists are wanted by the Hong Kong government for encouraging the public to boycottt the election.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31652
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31654
Around noon, it was reported that over 900 #ICAC staff were deployed in different polling stations to ensure that the election is conducted in a "just and fair" manner. Earlier, the authorities announced that polling staff were forbidden from wearing yellow masks and anyone wearing an outfit with phrases like "Add Oil Hong Kong" would be asked to remove or cover it.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31621
Ms Ng, in her sixties, told Stand News that "everyone knows" the agenda of the authorities behind offering free public transport on the Election Day. [Editor's note: Voters are always assigned to a polling station nearest to their residential address.] Regarding thd candidates in the nicknamed "Patriots-only" election, Ms Ng said, "I don't even know just one of them!"
Ms Ng added that the [goverment's] act would be futile, "Elderly like us only think about hiking, not voting."
Meanwhile, huge crowds were spotted at amusement parks like #DisneyLand and #OceanPark. Some tourists claimed that they have never seen so many people in the park.
This year, in Taikoo Shing, a residential area on Hong Kong Island East, the polling station was relatively 'empty' when compared to the 2016 LegCo Election and the 2019 District Council Election. Back then, voters had to line up and wait before casting their ballot. This year, there were more people queuing at the bus station.
Pro-Beijing figure Lo Man-sui, who occupied positions in CCP organizations like the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, said that "The winning of all 90 seats by the Pro-Establishment Camp would go against the original intent of the Central Government."
#TedHui, now-exiled former lawmaker in pro-democracy camp, answered the call by #HongKongWatch, uploading a photo of himself holding a sign that reads #ReleaseMyCandidate. Hui added that those who can represent Hongkongers' voices are in jail, and that ths only thing a Hongkonger can do is to boycott the election.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31644
Source: Stand News; InMedia #Dec19
https://bit.ly/3Fc2XWK
https://bit.ly/3e4ngcu
https://thestandnews.page.link/VJLfT7xux5Do6sj89 -
#FailedState #FakeElection #CCPStyle #Voter #PoliceState
===
Related News
HK Police Intimidates Reporter and Warns of "Loitering" Charges in Polling Station https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31656
How Hongkongers Respond to "Patriots-Only" #Election
After having been postponed for more than a year by the authorities, the Legislative Election took place in Hong Kong on December 19, 2021, when the majority of the city's pro-democracy camp are detained, jailed, or exiled. Prior to the election, public polls have shown that Hong Kong citizens expressed little interest in the "Patriots-Only" election.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31651
While the authorities have sent at least one SMS to the population (including non-voters) encouraging them to vote, at least ten civilians have been arrested for "inciting" others to cast #BlankVote or invalid vote. In addition, at least five exiled activists are wanted by the Hong Kong government for encouraging the public to boycottt the election.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31652
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31654
Around noon, it was reported that over 900 #ICAC staff were deployed in different polling stations to ensure that the election is conducted in a "just and fair" manner. Earlier, the authorities announced that polling staff were forbidden from wearing yellow masks and anyone wearing an outfit with phrases like "Add Oil Hong Kong" would be asked to remove or cover it.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31621
Ms Ng, in her sixties, told Stand News that "everyone knows" the agenda of the authorities behind offering free public transport on the Election Day. [Editor's note: Voters are always assigned to a polling station nearest to their residential address.] Regarding thd candidates in the nicknamed "Patriots-only" election, Ms Ng said, "I don't even know just one of them!"
Ms Ng added that the [goverment's] act would be futile, "Elderly like us only think about hiking, not voting."
Meanwhile, huge crowds were spotted at amusement parks like #DisneyLand and #OceanPark. Some tourists claimed that they have never seen so many people in the park.
This year, in Taikoo Shing, a residential area on Hong Kong Island East, the polling station was relatively 'empty' when compared to the 2016 LegCo Election and the 2019 District Council Election. Back then, voters had to line up and wait before casting their ballot. This year, there were more people queuing at the bus station.
Pro-Beijing figure Lo Man-sui, who occupied positions in CCP organizations like the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, said that "The winning of all 90 seats by the Pro-Establishment Camp would go against the original intent of the Central Government."
#TedHui, now-exiled former lawmaker in pro-democracy camp, answered the call by #HongKongWatch, uploading a photo of himself holding a sign that reads #ReleaseMyCandidate. Hui added that those who can represent Hongkongers' voices are in jail, and that ths only thing a Hongkonger can do is to boycott the election.
Read more:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31644
Source: Stand News; InMedia #Dec19
https://bit.ly/3Fc2XWK
https://bit.ly/3e4ngcu
https://thestandnews.page.link/VJLfT7xux5Do6sj89 -
#FailedState #FakeElection #CCPStyle #Voter #PoliceState
===
Related News
HK Police Intimidates Reporter and Warns of "Loitering" Charges in Polling Station https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31656
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#Poll: More Voters Claim NOT to Vote at “Patriots-only” #LegCoElection in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (#HKIAPS) rolled out a public poll to gauge the populations sentiment towards the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong…
The Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (#HKIAPS) rolled out a public poll to gauge the populations sentiment towards the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong…