#Breaking
Benny Tai, Robert Chung, and fifty more Democratics arrested this morning for inciting subversion of state power through arranging ‘35+ Primary Election’

#MassArrest #NationalSecurityLaw

Source: Apple Daily, Stand News; #Jan06

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#Breaking #MassArrest #NationalSecurityLaw
Benny Tai, Robert Chung, and fifty more Democratics arrested this morning for inciting subversion of state power through arranging ‘35+ Primary Election’

The #DemocraticParty suggested a ’35+ #PrimaryElection scheme’, hoping to secure over half of the seats in the #2019LegislativeCouncilElection, yet the election was cancelled later. The #NationalSecurityDepartment of Hong Kong Police Force arrested around #50Democratics.

At around 6 in the morning, the Democratic Party stated on their Facebook that ex #LegCoMember #JamesTo Kun-sun, #AndrewWan and #LamCheukTing were arrested at their homes for #IncitingSubversinoOfStatePower through suggesting the ’35+ Primary Election scheme’. #GaryFan Kwok-wai from the #NeoDemocrats was also arrested, and he stated on his personal Facebook that ’The Charge is joining the Primary Election’.

Social Movement Activist #VentusLau Wing-hong, #JimmySham Tsz-kit , ex-Legislative Council Member #LeungKwokHung, #EddieChu Hoi-dick, #WuChiWai, #RoyKwong Chun-yu, #HelenaWong Pik-wan, #AlvinYeung Ngok-kiu, District Councillor of the Southern District #TiffanyYuen, ex- #theStandNews reporter #GwynethHo Kwai-lam, District Councillor of Central and Western District #FergusLeung, jurisprudent #BennyTai Yiu-ting, and the Chair of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (#PORI) #RobertChung Ting-yiu were also arrested.

Source: Apple Daily, Stand News; #Jan06

https://hk.appledaily.com/breaking/20210106/JSJPIIZ6WNGBZHMPVDF76T3ODM/

China notified Mekong River neighbours it is holding back water flow

China has notified downstream neighbours it is holding back the Mekong River flow at a hydropower dam on waterway’s upper reaches for 20 days on 6 Jan after water level dropped by 1 m.

The Mekong Dam Monitor said China had failed to notify downstream countries of water restrictions on 31 Dec.

A sudden water level dropped from 2.85 meters on 2 Jan to 1.94 meters in 2 days (between 2-4 Jan) could devastate the fish population.

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) said the Chinese notification assured the flow “will be gradually restored to its normal operation status on January 25”, without specifying an exact volume rate.

Source: Reuters #Jan06

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mekong-river-idUSKBN29B17C

#MekongDam #CCP #StopMekongDam

China 'misled world' on Hong Kong security law, says Dominic Raab

Source: The Guardian #Jan06

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China 'misled world' on Hong Kong security law, says Dominic Raab

Dominic Raab reiterated the UK’s offer to holders of British national (overseas) passports in the city to come and live in Britain, and said, “these arrests demonstrate that the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities deliberately misled the world about the true purpose of the national security law, which is being used to crush dissent and opposing political views.”

As international criticism mounted, the last British governor of Hong Kong Lord Patten has told the EU not to go ahead with an economic deal with China. He added: “If this deal goes ahead it will make a mockery of Europe’s ambitions to be taken seriously as a global political and economic player. It spits in the face of human rights and shows a delusional view of the Chinese Communist party’s trustworthiness on the international stage. It is surely inconceivable that the European parliament can support the miserable draft deal that the European commission wants to sign with Beijing.

Source: The Guardian #Jan06

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/06/british-politicians-urge-eu-to-drop-china-deal-after-hong-kong-arrests

#HongKong #NationalSecurityLaw #EUChinaDeal #China

Trump Signed an Executive Order to ban 8 Mobile Apps Transactions, Including Alipay and Wechat Pay

Source from: The Stand News #Jan06

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Trump Signed an Executive Order to ban 8 Mobile Apps Transactions, Including Alipay and Wechat Pay

Donald Trump signed an executive order on 5 Jan local time banning transactions of 8 Chinese-related mobile apps, including Alipay and Wechat pay. The ban will take effect in 45 days.

The Trump government has not yet announced the contents of the order. However, Steve Herman, a reporter of the Voice of America who stationed in the White House, posted on Twitter that the prohibited transaction mobile apps include Alipay, Wechat pay, CamScanner, QQ wallet, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate and WPS Office.

Donald Trump pointed out that the apps may be able to obtain personal and sensitive information of users via mobile devices, tablets and computers. The collected data may have a chance for the Chinese government to “track the position of Federal Government staff and contract staff and set up personal message files”. According to The Wall Street Journal, the order instructs the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to assess whether other software constitutes threats to the US national security. The order also requests the Secretary of Commerce, the Head of Justice Department and the Director of National Intelligence to publish suggestions to prevent US user data being transferred to the hands of the overseas opponents.

Source from: The Stand News #Jan06

https://bit.ly/35BvWDy

#Trump #ExecutiveOrder #Alipay #Wechatpay #China #US #Transactions #SteveHerman #MobileApps #ChineseApps #WallStreetJournal

Hong Kong arrests 53 for plot to 'overthrow' govt in latest crackdown on dissent

Mass arrest of 53 democracy activists on January 6 was the biggest crackdown since the National Security Law imposed by Beijing in June 2020.

“The Chinese Communist Party has further turned the screw in Hong Kong,” said Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong. “Liberal democracies around the world must continue to speak out against the brutal destruction of a free society.”

“The mass arrest of politicians and activists in Hong Kong is a grievous attack on Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms as protected under the Joint Declaration,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, adding that China had deliberately misled the world about its security law.

Source: Reuters #Jan06

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-hongkong-security/over-50-hong-kong-activists-arrested-for-breaching-security-law-media-idUKKBN29B025?edition-redirect=uk

#MassArrest #HongKong #NSL #NationalSecurityLaw

WHO Experts Went to Wuhan to Investigate the Origin of COVID but were Refused for Entry. Tedros: Very disappointed

Source from: The Stand News #Jan06

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WHO Experts Went to Wuhan to Investigate the Origin of COVID but were Refused for Entry. Tedros: Very disappointed

WHO stated on 5th January that China had not approved the entry of the expert group for the investigation on the origin of Wuhan Virus. WHO Director-General Tedros rarely indicated that he was very disappointed with China and stated that two experts have already set off to Wuhan but reported that Chinese officials did not approve their entry permit. He emphasised that China and the WHO had a joint agreement in December last year on this investigation arrangement.

Tedros said at a press conference in Geneva, “I was very disappointed with this news. I have contacted senior Chinese officials, and have also indicated again that this mission was prioritised in the WHO and the international team.” He clearly stated that WHO is “eager to complete the task as soon as possible”, and China has even assured him that Beijing will speed up internal procedures and let the expert team make an arrangement as soon as possible.

#China #WHO #WuhanVirus #TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus #Tedros #COVID19

Source from: The Stand News #Jan06

https://bit.ly/2Y1X7mJ

Urging the European Union to Terminate the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI).  Lord Patten: It Shows a Delusional View of the Chinese Communist Party's Trustworthiness on the International Stage
 
Source from: The Stand News  #Jan06

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Urging the European Union to Terminate the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI).  Lord Patten: It Shows a Delusional View of the Chinese Communist Party's Trustworthiness on the International Stage
 
After the arrest of 53 democratic primary election organisers and participants on 6th January by Hong Kong Police Force, the last British governor of Hong Kong, Lord Patten, issued a statement urging the international community to speak out for Hong Kong, calling for the European Union to terminate the investment agreement with China. 
 
The statement from Lord Patten indicated that supporting democracy in Hong Kong is regarded as illegal nowadays and Hongkongers are forced to love the CCP. He called for the free democratic countries around the world to keep speaking out against Beijing’s destruction of a free society. “When terrible things are happening, we cannot look the other way”. 
 
China and Europe jointly announced in December 2020 that negotiations for the investment agreement were completed. The agreement is set to offer better entry of the European enterprises into China market. However, the agreement is not effective until the official ratification by the European Parliament. In his statement, Lord Patten described the agreement as a “miserable draft deal” and believed that it is a “massive strategic blunder”. 
 
#China #Beijing #Patten #HongKong #Democracy #PrimaryElection #Europe #EuropeanUnion #EU #CCP #CAI
 
Source from: The Stand News  #Jan06

https://bit.ly/30X1L74

Dozens of Hong Kong opposition figures arrested under national security law

Dozens of former lawmakers and opposition activists were arrested Wednesday morning in Hong Kong on suspicion of violating the city's sweeping national security legislation, in the biggest crackdown since the law was imposed by Beijing last year.

At least 53 people were arrested, police said, for the crime of "subverting state power." Among the 53, six were arrested for organizing and planning a primary election held last July, while the remaining 47 were arrested owing to their participation in the event, which was designed to thin the field of pro-democracy candidates ahead of legislative elections in September.

Source: CNN #Jan06

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/05/asia/hong-kong-national-security-law-intl-hnk

#HongKonger #Arrest #NationalSecurityLaw

#47Democrats #PrimaryElection #MassArrest
"To Plea or Not To Plea guilty" is a queation that suffocates defendants

47 lawmakers, academia, and activist are being suspected of organising and participating in the primary election in 2020. They are being accused of "conspiring subversion of state".

In the 139-page of case study, it revealed that 5 of the defendants were classified as "major organisers" - #BennyTai, a legal scholar; #AuNokHin, a former legislator; #ChiuKaYin and #ChungKamLun, former district council members; and #GordonNg, an activist.

Among them, only Gordon Ng decided to plea not guilty.

Gordon Ng Concern Group wrote a post on social media after the release of the restrictions on reporting the cases, referring to Ng's perspective that he is "definitely not believing" that he had violated the law,  and therefore, "I will face it despite being afraid”.

Ng said that he spent most of his time thinking about whether or not to plead guilty since being charged one and a half years ago. This question "makes him breathless" as his answer would most likely affect the second half of his life, with too many factors to consider.

He mentioned up until now, no defendant under the #NSL case has successfully been acquitted of their charges and described the space for discusiion, as an unknown as it required a lot of human and material resources. He asked, "is there a better way to use the resources spent on me?"

Ng understands that if he pleads guilty, his one-third of his original sentence may be cut. Yet, he is still unsure whether he is classified as a "main person", "with large crime" or "proactive participant". The category can seriously affect his sentence, from under three years to life imprisonment.

In addition, Ng stated that the case caught local and international attention, and as a result, he reflects on whether he has the responsibility to consider the view of civic society. He is an #Australian citizen, and the Australian government once published a statement raising concerns on the case. Therefore, he reflects, "Will my defence statement affect their views on the case?"

Gordon Ng admitted that he had no answer for most of his questions, but a fundamental question struck him - Do you think you had violated the law? "No, I absolutely don't think so. Therefore, I decide not to plead."

There is no way for him to get rid of the unknowns. He can only face it with courage. "I have prepared to fight for myself on the court. That is the largest battle in my life."

[Editor note: Gordon Ng is not a candidate for the election nor represents any political parties or organisations but a passerby on #LIHKG (named Lee Bak Lou, indicating liberal). He was the initiator of #LegCoPetition. It is a petition aimed to quantify people's voices and to call people to vote for the winners in the primary election and not to vote for candidates who do not support, participate or comply with the primary election. This petition puts pressure on candidates to adhere to the election results.]

Source: InMedia, GordonNgConcernGroup Facebook Page #Aug18

https://bit.ly/3Ctdhek
https://bit.ly/3Rb3rSD

Read more about the case:

Jan 6, 2021:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27802

Feb 28, 2021:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28799

Mar 1-2, 2021:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28876
.