📡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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#WuhanPneumonia
Mainland Affairs Secretary: Government Officials Returning from Wuhan Need Not be Quarantined in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Government announced plan to evacuate 533 Hong Kong residents from the epicenter China's Hubei province over the next two days, although the government previously mentioned that there are more than 3,000 Hong Kong residents in Hubei.

On March 4, the first batch of 258 people will arrive Hong Kong in two planes.

Carrie Lam denied that the evacuation operation was late, after several countries had already evacuated their own citizens.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Mainland Affairs Secretary Patrick Nip and Immigration Director Erick Tsang will lead a delegation of more than 40 staff to assist with the operation. By citing 'experts', Nip said these government officials need not to be quarantined after returning to Hong Kong.

Source: RTHK #Mar4
Image: Now News
#Evacuation
#DailyUpdate #Mar4 #COVID19

COVID-19 Updates (4/3)

The global number of infected climbed to 94257 with 3220 deaths. China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran continue to be the worst affected countries.

China has reported some 80,282 people infected with the virus while also reporting 2981 deaths. 50000 cases have been reported as recovered

The South Korean government has announced another 435 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. South Korea now has a total of 5621 cases and 34 deaths.

Iran has reported a total of 2922 cases, with 92 deaths.

Two chartered planes sent by the HKSAR government to Wuhan has returned, passengers were sent to Chun Yeung Estate for quarantine.

In Hong Kong, the pet dog of a patient Chow Hau-yee is tested weakly positive for the coronavirus for several times, showing the dog has been slightly infected.

New research in China shows that the COVID-19 virus has mutated into 2 different subtypes. Experts say the L type is more aggressive and has stronger transitivity.

The first death has been reported in Iraq.

The Thailand tourism bureau states the Thai government would implement tighter entry measures.

Ukraine, Chile, Argentina, Poland and the Faeroe Islands have reported first case of coronavirus infection.

There are currently 9 deaths reported in USA, all of them are reported in the State of Washington. President Donald Trump says entry restrictions into more countries will be considered.

The French government announces the centralized distribution of masks.

General Secretary of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says there is still time to stop the spread of the coronavirus. He refuses to call the current situation a “global pandemic”.

Italy’s Serie A football league is expected to play matches behind closed doors for one month.

Italy is considering the closure of all schools and universities across the country until mid-Mar.

Czech Republic bans the sale of FFP3 medical masks to anyone but healthcare service providers.

Japanese officials say the Tokyo Olympic Games would commence as planned.

Source: Now news, CNN, RTHK, Reuters, World Meter
Hong Kong Police Force: Only Reasonable Force would be Applied and False Accusations are Ridiculous

The police stressed that the planclothes police would apply reasonable force to control suspects and they would also indicate their identity during arrests. They condemned people with “ulterior motives” for releasing false information to discredit the police. They also criticised the accusations of young people “being disappeared” or “being suicided” are ridiculous. The police reiterated that they are a force enforcement agent, not criminals.

The police said that on Feb 19, dozens of demonstrators participated in an unlawful assembly and blocked the interaction of Po Hong Road and Tong Ming Street in Tseung Kwan O. The demonstrators were fleeting the scene and the special force unit immediately got out of the car and successfully intercepted a 24 year old local man and arrested him for unlawful assembly.

Source: Stand News #Mar4

Meanwhile...
Plainclothes police deliberatly drove a car towards citizens:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/16867

Citizens Violently Beaten by Plainclothes police: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/16523

#PoliceState #PoliceBrutality
#PoliceState #DistrictCouncil #StateTerrorism
Plainclothes Disguise as 'Staff', Intimidate Elected Councilors to Escort Police Commander Away during District Council Meeting

Watch video: http://bit.ly/2TmBLz7

A general meeting was held by the Eastern District Council on Wednesday, March 4. Police commander Peter David Whitton and Chief Public Relations Officer, Hu Min-yi attended the meeting on behalf of the Eastern District Police division.

However, when the District Council began to discuss complaints about the police, Whitton suddenly left claiming that it was "inappropriate" for him to stay.

A group of pro-democratic district councillors attempted to stop him from leaving and followed him outside the meeting room. Suddenly, several plainclothes officers appeared and disguised themselves as "staff" (see photo), while refusing to show their police badge. They
escorted Whitton away while violently confrontin district councilors who were directly elected.

Source: Inmedia
https://bit.ly/2VEocfS

#Mar4
#ReliefFund #Discrimination
Legislators Criticise Distribution of Anti-epidemic Relief Fund: Perfunctory, Suspected of Favouring those under Functional Constituencies

Hong Kong Government sets up a $30 billion “Anti-Epidemic Fund" in February to aid affected enterprises during the coronavirus outbreak, but some industries are apparently not covered.

Therefore, members of 17 industries, including hairstyling, fitness, yoga, remedial education and human resources, formed a "Forgotten Industries Alliance" in protest of the government's negligence.

“Members in the same profession are not receiving the same kind of financial assistance.”

Source: Stand News #Mar4
https://tinyurl.com/wzl2qsv

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/18196
#ReliefFund #Discrimination
Legislators Criticise Distribution of Anti-epidemic Relief Fund: Perfunctory, Suspected of Favouring those under Functional Constituencies

Hong Kong Government sets up a $30 billion “Anti-Epidemic Fund" in February to aid affected enterprises during the coronavirus outbreak, but some industries are apparently not covered.

Therefore, members of 17 industries, including hairstyling, fitness, yoga, remedial education and human resources, formed a "Forgotten Industries Alliance" in protest of the government's negligence. The Alliance held a press conference on Thursday, March 5, accompanied by pro-democracy legislators Leung Yiu-chung and Cheng Chong-Tai.

Spokesperson of the Alliance, So Dick-hei, queried distribution of the relief fund among affected industries. He said, “while fishermen are covered, farmers are excluded; theatrical troupes are covered, but theatre dance classes are excluded; travel agents are included, but tourist coaches are excluded.”

The Alliance called on the government to allocate a second round of relief funds to fill the gaps.

Pro-democracy legislator Cheng Chong-Tai, noted problems with the implementation of the relief fund and criticised the government for focusing only certain members within the same industry - that “members in the same profession are not receiving the same kind of financial assistance” with some who are not benefiting from the relief funds at all.

The Alliance was also disappointed that Cheung Kin-chung, Chief Secretary for Administration, had turned down the group’s invitation to a press conference twice due to his “busy schedule”.

Source: Stand News #Mar4
https://tinyurl.com/wzl2qsv

#ChinesePneumonia #ReliefFund
#FirstHand #Mar4 #Court
Friends and family of 47 Activists Express Disappointment at Bail Refusal

After a marathon trial of four days and 3 nights, the national security magistrate, Victor So granted bail to 15 pro-democracy activists and politicians charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in the late evening of 4 March.

The Department of Justice, however, immediately applied for a review of his decision, and magistrate So said he therefore must remand all defendants in custody, and ordered them to appear in court again within 48 hours.

The magistrate rejected bail applications from the other 31 defendants, saying he did not have sufficient grounds to believe they wouldn’t continue to endanger national security.

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#FirstHand #Mar4 #Court
Friends and family of 47 Activists Express Disappointment at Bail Refusal

2015 | West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts

Outside the court, ex-lawmaker Eddie Chu’s wife Coco Au, wife of former legislator Leung Kwok-hung (a.k.a. Longhair), Chan Po-ying, activist Lester Shum’s wife Nicole Yu and the Civil Human Rights Front’s Figo Chan met the press in the late evening of March 4.

Speaking on behalf of the activist's family, Lester Shum's wife Nicole Yu said that they had been mentally prepared for the bail refusal but were still "very sad" finding their family members back in detention.

Source: Apple Daily, Stand News; #Mar4
Photo: #FirstHand

#PoliticalPrisoners #PoliceState #47Democrats
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#FirstHand #Mar4 #Court
"You'll burn in hell, CCP": Arrestee's Foster Mother Gives Indignant Speech after DoJ Sends All 47 Activists Back to Custody

2030 | West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts

After a marathon hearing that stretched across four days, weary pro-democracy activists charged with subversion found themselves back in detention.

Foster Mother of Hendick Lui Chi Hang, one of the 47 pro-democracy figures, broke down into tears and gave a speech before the press outside the Magistrate court:

"Under tyranny, everything here is wrong. Everyone in the hearing (47 activists) are good people.

Source: First Hand; #Mar4

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#FirstHand #Mar4 #Court
"You'll burn in hell, CCP": Arrestee's Foster Mother Gives Indignant Speech after DoJ Sends All 47 Activists Back to Custody

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28923

I'm the foster mother of Hendick Lui Chi Hang. The 47 pro-democracy activists arrested shouldn’t be treated like that. I am indignant, but I know what I am talking about.

The whole thing (the arrest and trial) is totally wrong. They only did what was right.

I want to tell the CCP: what you're doing is wrong. If you don't repent, when judgment day comes, you'll go to hell. You'll be burned by eternal fire. You'll all be punished for your sins, for persecuting us innocent Hongkongers."

===Related news
Friends and family of 47 Activists Express Disappointment at Bail Refusal
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28921

#PoliticalPrisoners #PoliceState #47Democrats
#FirstHand #Mar4 #Court
Snapshots outside West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts as 47 pro-democrats faced 4-day-long bail hearing

The 47 activists, who had been arrested on National Security charges for participating in a primary election, had been enduring the absurdly long bail hearing for four days in a row. Despite the cold and the rain, dozens of supporters continued to show concern and their hearty regards in their own ways, eager to let those standing in the dock know that they are not alone.

Granny Wong, who wrapped herself around with a British flag against the rain, was on the scene for four days straight.

In addition, Cantopop singer Tommy Yuen also came to show support in the evening with a district councilor, Jocelyn Chau Hui Yan.

#PoliticalPrisoners #YNWA

===Related articles
Friends and family of 47 Activists Express Disappointment at Bail Refusal
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28921

Arrestee's foster mother: "You'll burn in hell, CCP"
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28923
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#Court #47Democrats
Music heals: Supporter of the 47 democrats plays violin to show encouragement

Around 9am on the morning of March 4, a woman began playing the violin outside the Kowloon West Magistrates’ Courts to show her support for the 47 pro-democracy activists' bail hearing. The hearing had been ongoing for four straight days.

Source: Local Press HK; #Mar4
https://t.me/localpresshk/19080
#CCP #China
China retracting promises of democracy to Hong Kong and Macau in annual report

The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (#CPPCC) opened on March 4. Chairperson Wang Yang gave a report of the Standing Committee's work, in which passages on Hong Kong and Macau issues were cut down substantially.

For the second year in a row, the report omitted wordings such as “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong” and “High degree of autonomy”. Even “#OneCountryTwoSystems”, which appeared in last year's report, was no longer mentioned this year.

Regarding the SARs of Hong Kong and Macau, the report placed emphasis on issues such as "supporting SAR governments and chief executives governing according to law", "Patriotic people ruling Hong Kong", "encouraging Hong Kong representatives to speak up in support of the National Security Law."

Source: RFA #Mar4
https://www.facebook.com/cantonese.rfa/photos/a.454006908007166/5123461997728277/
#ChineseVaccine
Significant drop in bookings following first death after receiving Chinese vaccine

Since the first case of death after receiving the China-made #Sinovac vaccine, vaccination centers have seen a significant drop in bookings.

Samuel Kwok Po-yin, medical director of Kwai Chung COVID vaccination center where the deceased man was vaccinated, had this to say:

“Our job is to administer the vaccine and make sure it is injected at the correct site. But as for consultation or medical diagnosis, our center is not responsible for that. The recipients are responsible for their own medical condition. They know their own body best."

Source: Facebook@onaclearday903, #Mar4
#Index #EconomicFreedom
HK kicked from the world's freest economies league table

For more than two decades, Hong Kong occupied the top position in the Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom at a high score of 89.1. The Washington-based foundation expelled Hong Kong from the top list, saying the city no longer has autonomy over its economic policies.

Hong Kong is included in China's ranking, way down the league table in 107th place. Macau is also now included with the rest of China.

"No doubt both Hong Kong and Macau, as special administrative regions, enjoy economic policies that in many respects offer their citizens more economic freedom than is available to the average citizen of China," the foundation said. "But developments in recent years have demonstrated unambiguously that those policies are ultimately controlled from Beijing."

"China remains a mostly unfree economy," said the foundation in its report.

Source: Apple Daily, RTHK; #Mar4
https://bit.ly/2O0nXu7
#RTHK #PressFreedom
Patrick Li Criticises LMF’s Cursing Songs as “Indecent” and Unsuitable as the Interviewee. All Programs in RTHK Need His Approval Before Airing

Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Li, who had no media experience, was brought as an outside manager and became the Director of Broadcasting. Only four days since his office, he unleashed his swaggering. Li held an Editor Meeting with all department heads of RTHK. In Apple Daily’s exclusive news, Li stated in the meeting that all programs within that week need his approval before airing. Among the Public Affair Programs in his “approval scope”, Hong Kong Connection will be about animal rights; This Week will focus on movies, while Hong Kong Stories will air an interview with the band LMF. Li criticised that LMF was indecent with their cursing in songs and suggested that other interview guests should be invited.

#LMF #PatrickLi #DirectorofBroadcasting #EditorialFreedom #Censorship

Source: Apple Daily, #Mar4

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