#Save12HKYouths
Chinese State Media Defend China's Detention of the 12 Hongkongers

China’s mouthpiece, Xinhua News Agency, mentioned for the first time on September 25, the 12 Hongkongers who have been detained in Shenzhen, China for more than a month. The article said they were accused of breaching Chinese border controls and that, as there was no extradition treaty between Hong Kong and the mainland, the Chinese government has the power to detain, handle and punish them.

The state news agency slammed pro-democracy lawmakers for seeking to draw foreign help over the incident by framing the matter as a human rights issue. Xinhua News claimed, "the democrats were blatantly exploiting the 12 Hong Kong people and their families for their own benefit, in order to incite hate against the city’s government and China".

"Xinhua News was twisting facts about Hong Kong people’s distrust of Beijing", Hong Kong lawmaker Eddie Chu told Apple Daily. He pointed out that the article failed to answer key questions such as why lawyers have been barred from visiting the 12 detainees, and the lack of evidence to prove that they were really captured in Chinese waters.

Pro-democracy activist Owen Chow, responded on behalf of the families and reiterated that it was the families who sought help from the lawmakers and not the other way round, as Xinhua News had wrongly accused. The families demanded that the Hong Kong government respond to their requests directly, Chow said.

Source: Apple Daily #Sept25
https://hk.appledaily.com/news/20200926/WNRX6LUOGNCUTAE7NOGW7LJJEM/

#RulebyLaw #Save12HongKongYouths #XinhuaNews #FakeNews #ChinaPropaganda #IllegalDetention

#FirstHand #Dec12
#Save12HongkongYouths
Pro-democracy Hongkongers Detained by China "Request" to Plead Guilty to Protest Charges in Hong Kong

On November 27, 2020, the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau (Yantian Branch) in China claimed that they have completed their investigation of the case about the 12 detained Hongkongers. The 12 civilians from Hong Kong who were captured by Chinese authorities and jailed in China since then were sent to the Provincial People's Procuratorate of the PRC for the charge to proceed.

However, as of December 12, 2020, their families had not received any official response from any authorities. Nevertheless, the lawyers appointed by Chinese authorities inquired the protest-related course cases in Hong Kong.

The families of the 12 Hong Kong youths spoke to the press in Hong Kong on 12 December, 2020 at 15:30. Although some families had communication with the lawyers appointed by the Chinese government over the phone or in text message, they still didn't know what their charges are in China.

In the press conference, the family members also shared the letters reportedly written by the 12 pro-democracy Hongkongers. In the letters, the detainees "asked" their families to help them plead guilty to all the charges they have in Hong Kong.

According to the solicitors in Hong Kong, this is not possible as they couldn't contact their clients. Thus, they couldn't do anything with the legal procedure in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong the detainees' bank accounts in Bank of China have been cancelled due to "commercial decision". Their families couldn't check the balance nor withdraw money.

Earlier, the families have written letters to the 12 Hong Kong youths. The Hong Kong Immigration Department was supposed to help pass the letters to China. However, the families have never received any feedback, even the Immigration Department confirmed to have passed the letters to Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, China (#GDETO).

The lawyers assigned by Chinese authorities clearly stated that the detention centre wouldn't distribute any letter to 12 Hongkongers.

These CCP-assigned lawyers also asked of the court cases related to the 12 Hongkongers in Hong Kong. In fact, the Chinese authorities should only handle the reported "illegal border crossing", but have no right to intervene any other court cases in Hong Kong.

Worse still, some families in Hong Kong were contacted by two different China-appointed lawyers, but some not even had one.

On these occasions, the lawyers never mentioned their identities, such as name and contact numbers.

One family was requested by a "lawyer" to provide a family photo. "I don't know who you are. You never provide any license to prove you are laywer," the family member recalled telling the self-claimed lawyer from China.

The "lawyer" said, "my identity doesn't matter, but your photo does."

While Christmas is coming, is it possible for the families to visit the 12 detained Hongkongers if accompanied by Hong Kong government officials? Can the 12 Hongkongers give a call to their family? This humanitarian crisis has been going on for nearly 4 months, showing the Chinese authorities' total disregard for basic human rights.

#Save12 #CCPControl

#FirstHand #Dec12 #Save12HongkongYouths
Concern Group Asks Citizens to Send Christmas Cards to Detained Pro-democracy Protesters in Chinese Prison

As the Winter Solsftice and Christmas are approaching, the Save 12 Hong Kong Youths Concern Group on Dec 12, 2020 announced the Christmas Card Writing Scheme.

The concern group has prepared 4 kinds of Christmas Cards, for fellow Hongkongers to send their words to the 12 pro-democracy Hongkongers who were detained by Chinese authorities for nearly 4 months.

The Christmas card street booth will be set up by district councillors and partnering groups. Card writers are advised to send their cards directly to the Yantian Detention Center in Shenzhen, China with the "12 Hongkongers" as the addressees. The postage fees from Hong Kong are $2.6 and #3.4 (airmail).

More details:
https://www.facebook.com/save12hkyouths/posts/213633647143732

======
Hongkongers Detained by China "Request" to Plead Guilty to Charges in Hong Kong
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27254

#Injustice #CCPLaw
CCP Revokes Human Rights Lawyers' Licence Reportedly for Helping the 12 Pro-democracy Hongkongers

Just five days after the 12 Hong Kong youths were sentenced, Lu Siwei, a Chinese human rights lawyer who assisted one of the arrestees' family had his lawyer’s licence revoked by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Justice in China.

Lu was the appointed solicitor for Quinn Moon, who was one of the twelve Hongkongers who were detained in China since August 2020. Lu recived a notice on January 4. 2021 by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Justice, stating that his licence has been revoked.

Lu issued a statement that evening saying that his lawyer’s licence was "determined to be revoked" before the case was even filed. He suspected that there is a possible abuse of power and criticized the Chinese government for “inexplicable suppression and persecution”. Lu called on the provincial government to “get back on track” and demanded a hearing.

Lu believes that the revocation of his licence was the result of his years in handling human rights cases, and that the 12 Hong Kong youths’ case was the decisive factor. Lu said that he “has no regrets” and he thanked everyone for the attention.

Source: Stand News #Jan4
#Save12HongKongYouths
#LuSiwei #HumanRightsLawyer

#Injustice #CCPLaw #Doxxing
Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Harrassed and Threatened by CCP

The Sichuan based Chinese #HumanRightsLawyer #LuSiWei told Apple Daily that he was being followed by four black-clad men in China since a few days ago.

On January 10, 2021, outside of his residence, his handphone was snatched by another unknown man who subsequently, threw his phone on the ground and ran away. Lu immediately reported the case to a nearby police station.

Lu suspected that these unknown men have been sent by the Chinese police, and that one of the men is a government worker in his district.

He alleged that the incident was connected to his involvement in 'politically sensitive' cases which recently led to revocation of his license.

Calling it an “old fashioned harassment”, Lu condemned the series of incidents a serious threat to his personal freedom.

Lu was appointed by the family members of Quinn Moon, one of the 12 Hongkongers whose boat was intercepted by mainland Chinese authorities during a reported ill-fated flee to Taiwan in August 2020

#Save12HongKongYouths

Source: Apple Daily, #Jan10
https://bit.ly/3nxP5fC

=====
Related article

CCP Revokes Human Rights Lawyers' Licence Reportedly for Helping the 12 Pro-democracy Hongkongers
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27918

#HongkongersVoice #Injustice
Musician #RonoFok Encourages Hongkongers to Fight On After Being Arrested over National Security Probe
 
Hong Kong musician Rono Fok wrote his reflection on facebook on January 18, 2021, after he was arrested and detained by the Hong Kong police for national security violation on January 14:

"I was detained by the National Security police for more than 40 hours. During which, I was once handcuffed to a chain around my waist when being escorted from the Chai Wan police station to the North Point police station. I have also subjected to dozens times of body search. One time I had to strip all my clothes from my upper body.
 
Around 6am on January 14, 2021, six National Security police officers arrested me at my home in Shau Kei Wan. They accused me of aiding 12 pro-democracy Hongkongers to flee to Taiwan.

Except me, all my family members suffered permanent mental disabilities. I am always thankful for their love and care. When the police arrested me and raided my home, no one from my family has shed one drop of tear, until the moment when the police dragged me away to the lift lobby.

My mother, who is immobile and her right hand disabled, followed closely behind just to have one last look at me. She growled and asked, “What is Hong Kong becoming of?”
 
I was tranported between the Chai Wan and the North Point police stations, where I interrogated for 3 times under recordings. The National security officers asked me around 300 to 400 questions.

Although meals and drinks were provided, I suffered from hallucination and very mild incontinence when detained in the North Point police station.
It was a cold evening when the temperature dropped below 10 degrees celsius.
 
When I was escorted from North Point Police Station to Chai Wan, we drove by King’s Road. I recalled the time I went to the nursery, primary school, secondary school and university. I miss my friends and schoolmates. I used to hang out at the park and the ball courts, grab lunch with my schoolmates and play video games in internet café after school.
 
Perhaps, I will be charged and I will sit for court hearing or even face jail, but I will never give up music and art. I will keep on learning to become your favourite artist.  
 
In case of imprisonment, I will write about my music and stories. My mother is not eloquent, but I hope to share her words to all of you, 'Hongkongers, fight on!'”

Source: Rono Fok's Facebook; Stand News, #Jan18

https://www.facebook.com/RONOFOK/posts/1154216091675415

#PoliceState #Authoritarianism
#NationalSecurityLaw #Save12 #Save12HongKongYouths #Musician