Sing With You: Carrie Lam's Birthday Edition

Netizens initiated a "Sing With You" event in shopping malls across 9 shopping malls in Hong Kong, hoping to voice discontent over the city's Chief Executive Carrie Lam particularly on her birthday. Citizens started to unfurl protest banners and chanted slogans at around 7pm in Taikoo Shing, Kwun Tong, Shatin, Tsuen Wan, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok, Tai Po, Tuen Mum and Jordan.

An assortment of creative posters and printouts were seen across different districts of Hong Kong to 'celebrate' Carrie Lam's Birthday. At Mong Kok's Langham Place, civilians prepared a cake with the words “5 Demands, Not 1 Less” and tossed Joss, both actions revealed extreme grievances deep rooted in the community since the pro-democracy movement began last June.

Peaceful gathering again ended prematurely when large troops of riot police arrived at the scene, ordering civilians to leave, threatening that they could be fined flouting the anti-gathering ban. Journalists were continued to be targeted, e.g. in Shatin, plainclothes officers pepper-sprayed reporters nearby without giving proper prior warning.

View Photos Here

Sources: Apple Daily; Twitter; Cupid News; USP United Social Press; Stand News; Local Press; FirstHand
#May13 #HKProtest #SingWithYou #GatheringBan #PoliceState #CarrieLam #Birthday

Under (Any) Tyranny, Laws are Void, So Are Their Enforcers

Image: Apple Daily #May13
#Shatin #HongKongPolice #PoliceState #HongKongProtests

#PoliceState #StateViolence
Hong Kong Police Call Victim of Alleged Gang Rape a "Wanted" Fugitive

18-year-old Ms X who alleged the police officers of gang raping her expressed her disappointment and frustration:

"I prayed and hoped that the complaint would be investigated impartially, in strict confidence and respect for my privacy and dignity, but none of that happened".

Source: RTHK; HKFP; Vlder & Co.'s Facebook #May13
#HongKongPolice #GangRape #Rapists #MsX #JusticeDepartment #Injustice

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/20722

#Timeline #PoliceState #StateViolence
Hong Kong Police Call Victim of Alleged Gang Rape a "Wanted" Fugitive

Here is a rundown of the events that took place throughout this entire process, from the day Ms X lodged her criminal complaint:

-Oct 22, 2019: Ms X Made a Police Report
Represented by Vlder & Co. Solicitors, 18-year-old Ms X filed a police report alleging that she was gang raped and sexually assaulted in Tsuen Wan Police Station on September 27, 2019.

Ms X allowed the taking of a DNA sample from her aborted foetus in order for at least one of the assailants to be identified. The case was handled by the New Territories South Regional Crime Unit.

- November 4, 2019: Police Attempt to Seize Ms X's Private Medical Record
Police obtained warrant to seize Ms X's medical report and surveilance camera footage from the clinic of her private doctor, without Ms X’s knowledge or consent.

Ms X challenged the warrant immediately for its violation of her privacy.

-November 5, 2019: Court Suspends Police Search Warrant
The court granted an anonymity order for Ms X and suspended the search warrant of the police.

- Nov 9, 2019 : Police Reportedly Leak Investigation Information
The police in the process of investigation claimed that there was no sign of rape.

Meanwhile, Ms X's case had been leaked onto the internet, with ‘police sources’ releasing selective details of the investigation and adverse comments on the evidence.

- November 11, 2019: Lawyers Condemn the Police for Lacking Impartiality
Ms X's lawyers accused the police of lacking impartiality and deliberately leaking "supposed details" of the case to diminish the prospects of a successful prosecution.

- January 16, 2020: Police Commissioner Publicly Calls the Gang Rape Case "Fake"
Police Commissioner Chris Tang alleged Ms X's complaint as "fake" and accused Ms X of "misleading police officers or giving a false statement”.

Tang voluntarily spoke about the case in a district council meeting and gave away supposedly confidential information.

- Jan 18, 2020: Lawyers Condemn the Police for Undermining the Criminal Report
Ms X's lawyers issued a statement condemning Tang for publicly discrediting the victim and undermining her criminal complaint.

The police never answered Ms X and her lawyers' inquiry of the status of investigation. For instance, the police refused to answer whether they had received the DNA report from the government laboratory or not.

- April 6, 2020: Case Terminated with Any Explanation to Ms X
The Department of Justice inform lawyers that Ms X’s case will not be taken any further, claiming that her complaint was contrary to the evidences that they obtained. No details were provided about this claim to the lawyers.

- May 12, 2020: Police Commissioner Has Plans to Arrest Ms X
Police Commissioner Chris Tang said that the Department of Justice had instructed the arrest of Ms X for "making a false statement."

Like the previous time, Tang spoke voluntarily about the case after a district council meeting. Tang told the press that Ms X has "fled" Hong Kong.

- May 13, 2020: Justice Denied?
Ms X released a statement via her lawyers condemning the police for their lack of professionalism and doubting the outcome of the so-called investigation.

Whereas the Department of Justice claimed Ms X's testimony did not match with the police report , Ms X was never summoned to explain her case.

While Ms X had been compling and abiding to every process and regulation, she expressed her disappointment and frustration: "I prayed and hoped that the complaint would be investigated impartially, in strict confidence and respect for my privacy and dignity, but none of that happened".

Source: RTHK; HKFP; Vidler & Co.'s Facebook #May13
#HongKongPolice #GangRape #Rapists #MsX #JusticeDepartment #Injustice

#LegCo #Unelected #Beijjng
Beijing Loyalist Andrew Leung hand-picks Chan Kin-por as Head of Next Week's House Committee in Legislative Council

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LegCo president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen of the pro-Beijing camp announced that, after consulting David Philip Pannick, Baron Pannick, QC and barrister Anthony Chan, he decided to invoke article 92 of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council to appoint chairman of the Finance Committee legislator Chan Kin-por as the head of next Monday's (#May18) election as the House Committee chairman. No points of order will be accepted.

Leung claimed that he invoked article 92 only to stop the filibuster, as article 92 has often been referred to as the "sword of state", granting unlimited power to the president.

Chan gladly took up the post, claiming that "a legislative council that can't do legislative work is a big problem."

He also called for pro-democracy legislators to take their appeals to Leung should they find Leung's edict misjudged, despite his decision having been consulted by a Queen's Council.

Pro-democracy legislators censured the decision, citing that Beijing loyalist Starry Lee Wai-king claimed to have approached the democrats through legislator Martin Liao Cheung-kong on Wednesday (#May13), to discuss the procedure of the meeting despite it never happening, and that pro-Beijing camp had never consulted pro-democracy legislators regarding the legal advice. They believed that Leung appointed Chan only to carry out political missions from Beijing.

Moreover, they stated that the head of the House Committee should fall on the member with the greatest seniority per example when the vice chairman is relieved of duty, namely legislators James To Kun-sun and Leung Yiu-chung.

Sources: RTHK; Stand News #May14
#AndrewLeung #ChanKinPor #DennisKwok #Article92

#Court
Hearing-impaired Man Charged for Assaulting the Police

On Sept 15, 2019, a 20-year-old man with hearing impairment was accused of attempting to "rob" a riot police officer of his pepper spray, and they both fell to the ground. The man was charged for assaulting a police officer.

It was revealed in Eastern Magistrates' Court on 13 May that from the CCTV footage, the man was surrounded by a large amount of police officers and some police officers wielded their batons at him.

The defendant asked the police to disclose the relevant police officers' information and records, but the police claimed that they could not confirm the officers' identity.

"I don't have a way to guarantee that I can get it," said the prosecutor. He even asked the defendant to explain his request for the police logbook. The magistrate ordered the prosecutor to provide the defendant with relevant information within 4 weeks.

Source: Apple Daily #May13

#Court
Cleaner accused of helping protester and charged with obstructing police officers

On 5 Aug 2019, the strike initiated by pro-democracy protesters turned into conflicts between police and citizens in different districts.

In Sham Shui Po, a cleaner was accused of spreading his arms to stop the police from arresting a yelling teenager and asking him to leave. He was then charged with obstructing police officers.

In the court hearing on May 13,
evidence was however lacking from the prosecution. From a video of the scene, the defendant did not “move from left to right,” as the police claimed. There was also no record in the police sergeant’s notebook and testimony.

The counsel questioned the sergeant’s credibility and his charging of the defendant without reasonable grounds. In the video, the sergeant was heard provoking the passersby asking if they were "paid".

Source: InMedia #May13
#PoliceState #Cleaner

#Education
New Citizenship Subject deems Britain's Rule over Hong Kong as Illegal Occupation

Source: Ming Pao #May13

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#Education
New Citizenship Subject deems Britain's Rule over Hong Kong as Illegal Occupation

Citizenship and Social Development is slowly replacing Liberal Studies across Hong Kong’s schools, starting from next academic year.

Ling Kee Publishing provided schools with e-edition teaching materials. In the “One Country, Two Systems” Module, it states China always holds sovereignty over Hong Kong. “Over 100 years before the Handover, Britain’s rule over Hong Kong is an occupation breaching International law.

4 offences under the National Security Law is also included. “National Security Law ensures the continuity of the 'One Country, Two Systems' model.”

Marshall Cavendish Education also provided schools with sample textbooks, in which civil disobedience and Benny Tai’s “4 levels of rule of law” can be found. After its release, the Education Bureau immediately sent a notice stressing the book has not undergone official review.

On the contrary, after Ling Kee’s release, Education Bureau said as they did not consider the material a textbook. Its publication is under protection due to Hong Kong’s freedom of the press and does not require notification or review procedures from the Bureau. The EDB also states that material pertaining to China affairs and Hong Kong’s constitutional rule must be in compliance with the PRC Constitution and the Basic Law.

Source: Mingpao #May13
#LiberalStudies #BrainWashing #Censorship

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
HK Court Denies Bail for 36 in #47Activists Case, Assigned Judge: "Five Demands" Endander NationalSecurity

Source: InMedia #May13

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/29731

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
HK Court Denies Bail for 36 in #47Activists Case, Assigned Judge: "Five Demands" Endander #NationalSecurity

Among the 47 pro-democracy activists facing allegations of “conspiracy to commit subversion” in connection with a legislative primary election in Hong Kong in 2020, 36 of them have been denied bail.

'#LongHair' Leung Kwok-hung and Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, who are the vice-chairmen of the League of Social Democrats, were among the 36 who were denied bail.

Both of them applied for bail at Hong Kong's High Court earlier, but Judge Esther Toh Lye-ping , the designated judge of the #NationalSecurityLaw, refused to grant them bail and ordered to hold them back in custody.

The senior counsel Hectar Pun representing Leung and Sham pointed out that they have never advocated "Hong Kong independence", colluded with foreign forces or requested sanctions against the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, nor did they sign the "No Regrets" online statement.

Pun also said that Leung's local ties are strong, he has recently gotten married and is suffering from coronary heart disease, so the risk of absconding is low.

Moreover, Sham has always been active in the local #LGBT community, he married his partner who is also a Hong Kong resident in 2013, so Sham has no interest in leaving Hong Kong.

The judge issued her reasons on May 13, 2021, claiming there was no good reason to believe the two would not continue to act against national security.

The judge cited that the Department of Justice's arguments against bail, saying that Sham still stated he would continue to fight for the "#FiveDemands", in front of the police station upon his arrival on Feb 28, 2021. This indicated that there was no reason to believe he would not continue to endanger national security.

Source: InMedia #May13
https://bit.ly/3bqpwdh

#47Democrats #JimmySham #LeungKwokHung #Bail #PoliceState

#PowerAbuse #PoliceState
District Councilors Condemn #MTR staff for inflicting violence on young man "like the police"

Source: InMedia HK #May13

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#PowerAbuse #PoliceState
District Councilors Condemn #MTR staff for inflicting violence on young man "like the police"

In April 2021, in Hong Kong a young man with a mental illness record became agitated when he was intercepted by the MTR ticket inspection unit while exiting Heng Fa Chuen Station.

During the incident, he was physically subdued to the ground by the subway company staff, one of then even violently knelt on the man’s neck.

A number of Yau Tsim Mong District Council members questioned the MTR at a meeting of the Traffic and Transport Committee. They comdemned the MTR Ticket Inspection Unit for abusing its power, and demanded that the MTR to amend the MTR By-laws to stop allowing staff to use force.

District Councillor Owan Li questioned whether the MTR staff had overstepped their authority, and whether they were "enforcing the law for the police?” He criticized the staff kneeling on the victim’s neck for being "a bully".

The MTR representative described the incident as "looking unsatisfactory" and said the police were investigating the incident and were not in a position to comment, adding that they would only report the suggestion.

Source: InMedia HK #May13
https://bit.ly/3uPXWy0

#FailedState #TicketInspection

Drop in Xinjiang birthrate largest in recent history: report

Xinjiang in far western China had the sharpest known decline in birthrates between 2017 and 2019 of any territory in recent history, according to a new analysis by an Australian think tank.

The report from the Australian Strategy Policy Institute, obtained exclusively ahead of publication by The Associated Press, showed the 48.74% decline was concentrated in areas with many Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other largely Muslim ethnic minorities, based on Chinese government statistics over nearly a decade.

Source: AP News #May13

https://t.co/GM5V3meddu

#Xinjiang #Uyghur #Kazakh #Muslim #Birthrate