#OpinionArticle #Court #PoliticalSuppression
"I Do Not Plead Guilty": Hong Kong Journalist Facing Legal Challenge for Unveiling Suspected Police-Triad Collusion
[Editor's note: This is an opinion article written by Au Ka-lun, a veteran journalist in Hong Kong.
In this article, Au recounted what happened during a court hearing where Bao Choy, a journslist working for the public broadcaster RTHK, was charged by the Hong Kong authorities for "giving false statement". The case has stirred up the population's outcry for censoring media freedom and infringing free speech.]
On March 24, 2021, in the courtroom of the Western Magistrate’s Courts in Hong Komg, veteran journalist Bao Choy Yuk-ling resonantly said “I do not plead guilty”.
It is noteworthy that Choy said “I do not plead guilty" (我不認罪) instead of “I plead not guilty” (我唔認罪).
Bao Choy is a professional broadcaster who knows well the subtle difference between “do not” (不) and “Not” (唔) in Cantonese.
In Cantonese, the negation word that is pronounced “ng” is hard to sound out loudly, making it more difficult to be heard and message less affirmative.
Comparatively speaking, the sentence “I do not plead guilty” is more resounding and powerful.
Although I cannot see Bao Choy’s eyes and face through the screen, her clear response to the Court--by saying “I do not plead guilty” twice--found resonance outside the wall of the courtroom.
I heard not only her determination and defiance, but also her unyielding spirit with no fear, complaint and regret.
During the court hearing, the entire news documentary program, Hong Kong Connection: The Truth of 721. Perhaps, which was produced by Choy, was shown.
All those inside and outside the courtroom watched the investigative news programme, which is about the triad attack on pro-democracy protesters and passersby in Yuen Long on July 21, 2019, together.
We saw footages where a large group of white-clad gangsters gathered in the early afternoon; we even saw plain-clothes police officers witnessing the gathering of these Triad members.
The documentary recorded the suspected collusions between the police and the gangsters; questioned the police’s leniency towards the Triad; and demonstrated the journalists’ persistence in reporting the truth.
However, the Hong Kong authorities has deliberately tossed these facts aside. They charge a journalist for checking the car plates and owners' information.
It is a simple case, in which both the prosecution and the defendant did not summon a witness.
The case is upright and aboveboard, leaving Bao Choy nothing to defend for herself but holding her head high and said, “I do not plead guilty.”
Source: Stand News; #Mar24
https://www.thestandnews.com/court/%E8%94%A1%E7%8E%89%E7%8E%B2-%E6%88%91%E4%B8%8D%E8%AA%8D%E7%BD%AA/
#BaoChoy #AuKaLun #Journalism #Professionalism #RTHK
"I Do Not Plead Guilty": Hong Kong Journalist Facing Legal Challenge for Unveiling Suspected Police-Triad Collusion
[Editor's note: This is an opinion article written by Au Ka-lun, a veteran journalist in Hong Kong.
In this article, Au recounted what happened during a court hearing where Bao Choy, a journslist working for the public broadcaster RTHK, was charged by the Hong Kong authorities for "giving false statement". The case has stirred up the population's outcry for censoring media freedom and infringing free speech.]
On March 24, 2021, in the courtroom of the Western Magistrate’s Courts in Hong Komg, veteran journalist Bao Choy Yuk-ling resonantly said “I do not plead guilty”.
It is noteworthy that Choy said “I do not plead guilty" (我不認罪) instead of “I plead not guilty” (我唔認罪).
Bao Choy is a professional broadcaster who knows well the subtle difference between “do not” (不) and “Not” (唔) in Cantonese.
In Cantonese, the negation word that is pronounced “ng” is hard to sound out loudly, making it more difficult to be heard and message less affirmative.
Comparatively speaking, the sentence “I do not plead guilty” is more resounding and powerful.
Although I cannot see Bao Choy’s eyes and face through the screen, her clear response to the Court--by saying “I do not plead guilty” twice--found resonance outside the wall of the courtroom.
I heard not only her determination and defiance, but also her unyielding spirit with no fear, complaint and regret.
During the court hearing, the entire news documentary program, Hong Kong Connection: The Truth of 721. Perhaps, which was produced by Choy, was shown.
All those inside and outside the courtroom watched the investigative news programme, which is about the triad attack on pro-democracy protesters and passersby in Yuen Long on July 21, 2019, together.
We saw footages where a large group of white-clad gangsters gathered in the early afternoon; we even saw plain-clothes police officers witnessing the gathering of these Triad members.
The documentary recorded the suspected collusions between the police and the gangsters; questioned the police’s leniency towards the Triad; and demonstrated the journalists’ persistence in reporting the truth.
However, the Hong Kong authorities has deliberately tossed these facts aside. They charge a journalist for checking the car plates and owners' information.
It is a simple case, in which both the prosecution and the defendant did not summon a witness.
The case is upright and aboveboard, leaving Bao Choy nothing to defend for herself but holding her head high and said, “I do not plead guilty.”
Source: Stand News; #Mar24
https://www.thestandnews.com/court/%E8%94%A1%E7%8E%89%E7%8E%B2-%E6%88%91%E4%B8%8D%E8%AA%8D%E7%BD%AA/
#BaoChoy #AuKaLun #Journalism #Professionalism #RTHK
#PoliticalSuppression #WhiteTerror
Public Broadcaster in HK Removes Veteran Journalist and Academic From Shows
After the multiple arrests of media workers and the shutdown of #Apple Daily, the authorities continue to shake up the media industry in Hong Kong.
On June 28, 2021, #RTHK, the public broadcaster funded by the government removed #AllanAu (#AuKaLun), a veteran journalist and university lecturer #LeungKaiChi from a radio programme and a TV show, respectively.
They are both columnists well known for speaking up against injustice and making critical analysis from their professional expertise. They both taught at local universities.
They were notified of the station's decision at the last minute, namely on the same day. For Leung, the entire show he used to host was canceled and replaced by replayed programmes.
Just a week ago, snother RTHK radio host, Tsang Chi-ho, was sacked with immediate effect, despite his popularity in the show "Crazy and Happy". Before that, Tsang used to co-host Headliner, a popular political satire that was axed by RTHK after attacks by the pro-Chins camp.
Au has been a co-host of the current affairs show for 11 years. Au spent the last 20 seconds of the show to say goodbye to his audience. He reiterated that the motto of the phone-in show was to "speak the truth" and hoped everyone would take care.
Source: Stand News #Jun28
https://bit.ly/3gYKwuY.
https://bit.ly/2UCx2w4
#Censorship #PressFreedom #Journalism
Public Broadcaster in HK Removes Veteran Journalist and Academic From Shows
After the multiple arrests of media workers and the shutdown of #Apple Daily, the authorities continue to shake up the media industry in Hong Kong.
On June 28, 2021, #RTHK, the public broadcaster funded by the government removed #AllanAu (#AuKaLun), a veteran journalist and university lecturer #LeungKaiChi from a radio programme and a TV show, respectively.
They are both columnists well known for speaking up against injustice and making critical analysis from their professional expertise. They both taught at local universities.
They were notified of the station's decision at the last minute, namely on the same day. For Leung, the entire show he used to host was canceled and replaced by replayed programmes.
Just a week ago, snother RTHK radio host, Tsang Chi-ho, was sacked with immediate effect, despite his popularity in the show "Crazy and Happy". Before that, Tsang used to co-host Headliner, a popular political satire that was axed by RTHK after attacks by the pro-Chins camp.
Au has been a co-host of the current affairs show for 11 years. Au spent the last 20 seconds of the show to say goodbye to his audience. He reiterated that the motto of the phone-in show was to "speak the truth" and hoped everyone would take care.
Source: Stand News #Jun28
https://bit.ly/3gYKwuY.
https://bit.ly/2UCx2w4
#Censorship #PressFreedom #Journalism
"You have chosen the side of the tanks"
The following essay was written by #AuKaLun, a veteran journalist in Hong Kong:
"On a Causeway Bay street in the evening of 4 June, 2021, my attention was focused in particular on the faces of the policemen. Most of them had plodding eyes, dragging their feet and yelled occasionally to embolden themselves. Some were wearing glasses of scholarly looks, some have fair skin. And there was one who is stout and out of proportionally broad, seemingly unwell – take care.
Not surprisingly, these long arms (policemen) of the regime are just like any ordinary citizens like you and me. Some are tall, some short, some fat and some skinny. As in the Berlin Golden Bear best file “There Is No Evil”, there is really very little difference between them and us. If we take one step, we would have crossed over to their side."
Read our fully translated article here:
https://telegra.ph/You-have-chosen-the-side-of-the-tanks-07-03
Source: Stand News #Jun08
#Police #June4
The following essay was written by #AuKaLun, a veteran journalist in Hong Kong:
"On a Causeway Bay street in the evening of 4 June, 2021, my attention was focused in particular on the faces of the policemen. Most of them had plodding eyes, dragging their feet and yelled occasionally to embolden themselves. Some were wearing glasses of scholarly looks, some have fair skin. And there was one who is stout and out of proportionally broad, seemingly unwell – take care.
Not surprisingly, these long arms (policemen) of the regime are just like any ordinary citizens like you and me. Some are tall, some short, some fat and some skinny. As in the Berlin Golden Bear best file “There Is No Evil”, there is really very little difference between them and us. If we take one step, we would have crossed over to their side."
Read our fully translated article here:
https://telegra.ph/You-have-chosen-the-side-of-the-tanks-07-03
Source: Stand News #Jun08
#Police #June4
When a redline morphs into a massive sea of redlines
Carrie LAM (Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR) said the legal system in Hong Kong is as stable as a cornerstone. She’s right. Everything is under control: national security judges will be designated to try dissidents; the mouthpiece for law will readily weaponise legal oddities; Secretary for Justice will press to change the sentencing principles resulting in heavier sentences; the cast over joint enterprise in riots is ever expanding without checks; interpretation of the Basic Law by the National People’s Congress overruling any Court of Final Appeal flouting decisions is always a last resort. Judges succumb quicker than expected. Now that the government starts tampering with the qualification criteria of Senior Counsels, the legal system is indeed stable as a mountain.
Source: Stand News #Jun13
#AuKaLun #RedLine
Author: AU Ka-Lun
https://bit.ly/3xX38l3
https://telegra.ph/When-a-redline-morphs-into-a-massive-sea-of-redlines-07-24
Carrie LAM (Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR) said the legal system in Hong Kong is as stable as a cornerstone. She’s right. Everything is under control: national security judges will be designated to try dissidents; the mouthpiece for law will readily weaponise legal oddities; Secretary for Justice will press to change the sentencing principles resulting in heavier sentences; the cast over joint enterprise in riots is ever expanding without checks; interpretation of the Basic Law by the National People’s Congress overruling any Court of Final Appeal flouting decisions is always a last resort. Judges succumb quicker than expected. Now that the government starts tampering with the qualification criteria of Senior Counsels, the legal system is indeed stable as a mountain.
Source: Stand News #Jun13
#AuKaLun #RedLine
Author: AU Ka-Lun
https://bit.ly/3xX38l3
https://telegra.ph/When-a-redline-morphs-into-a-massive-sea-of-redlines-07-24