#DieWelt #HongKongProtest
#JoshuaWong Tells German Press: Not Expecting a Fair Trial, but Jailing Will Not Stop Hong Kong's Democracy Movement

Joshua Wong gave a written interview with the German press Die Welt while in solitary confinement, as he awaits his sentencing.

He said that he has long lost faith in Hong Kong's judicial system, and does not expect that a fair trial will take place

He says that it was difficult to sleep in his cell, since they kept his lights on 24 hours a day; however, compared to the 12 Hongkongers detained in China, he considered his charges to be relatively minor.

Wong said that he was placed in solitary confinement and not allowed to leave his single-person cell to meet with other inmates or exercise outside.

The lights in his cell were on 24 hours a day, and he could only sleep by covering his eyes with his face mask.

He further said he felt like a dissident in China, and that China is a threat to freedom across the world: "Everyone, including universities, journalists, and companies, are all being forced to adhere to Chinese standards."

Wong stressed that even if he, ex-Demosisto chairperson Ivan Lam, and ex-member Agnes Chow were all sentenced to jail, Hong Kong's democracy movement would not be stopped.

Source: Stand News #Nov27
Original: Die Welt #Nov27

https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article221122984/Joshua-Wong-China-bedroht-die-Freiheit-der-Welt.html

#Jail #PoliticalPrisoner #PoliceState #StandWithHongKong #AgnesChow #IvanLam

#PoliticalProsecution
HK Government Sentences Pro-democracy Youths to Prison,
British Foreign Secretary urges Hong Kong and Beijing to stop oppression

Former leaders of now-disbanded Demosistō Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Ivan Lam were sentenced to 13.5 months, 7 months and 10 months in prison on charges related to the unauthorized protest in 2019 outside Police Headquarters.

Read more
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27057

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab issued an statement in response, urging Hong Kong and Beijing governments to stop oppressing the opposition.

In his response to the jailing of the trio, Raab urged Hong Kong and Beijing authorities "to bring an end to their campaign to stifle opposition", and stressed that "prosecution decisions must be fair and impartial, and the rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong must be upheld."

When asked about the sentencing of Hong Kong activists, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chun-ying only stated that this is not a diplomatic issue.

Samuel Chu, the founding and managing director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council (#HKDC), an overseas Hong Kong organization which participated in implementing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, said in a statement that Beijing and Chief Executive Carrie Lam have sent a message through this case: If young people do not obey their ruling, they will be jailed.

HKDC has asked the United States and the international community to jointly condemn this sentencing , which raises questions about the fairness and independence of Hong Kong judicial system.

Source: Stand News #Dec2
#DominicRaab #JoshuaWong #AgnesChow #IvanLam #Jail

#HumanitarianCrisis
HK Authoroties' Jailing of Pro-democracy Activists Triggers International Uproar

During the demonstration outside the Police Headquarters on June 21, 2019, Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, Ivan Lam and a large amount of protesters surrounded the building. The trio faced three charges of "inciting, organizing and participating in an unauthorized assembly". After pleading guilty, they had been remanded in custody for 9 days, before being sentenced.

On Dec 2, 2020, Magistrate Wong Sze-lai stated in the ruling decision at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts that the trio conspired and actively participated in the assembly, which caused roads blocked and potential risks, and wasted police resources. The trio were sentenced to 13.5 months, 7 months, and 10 months in jail, Agnes Chow's application for appeal was denied.

U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement, comdemning “China’s brutal sentencing of these young champions of democracy in Hong Kong" and calling it "appalling". 

Pelosi's statement also said, "This injustice is clear proof that Beijing will stop at nothing to stamp out dissent and to destroy the freedoms and real autonomy guaranteed to the people of Hong Kong."

At the same time, the UK foreign minister, Dominic Raab, also responded. He said prosecutions must be fair and impartial, and the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers upheld: “I urge the Hong Kong and Beijing authorities to bring an end to their campaign to stifle opposition."

Source: US Speaker; The Guardian; Stand News #Dec2

https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/12220-4?fbclid=IwAR2c6lxpCe_dlze1-wQ6PCA5tc31lUfOqHb-pzDXmGDweWz318d2uSn7gqk

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/02/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-jailed-over-protest-police-hq

#DominicRaab #NancyPelosi #JoshuaWong #AgnesChow #IvanLam #Jail

========
Related News:

#FreeAgnes
Happy Birthday, Agnes Chow

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27064

China Jails Citizen Journalist Zhang Zhan
EU said She was Being Tortured, and Pompeo said the Case Reflects CCP Fears of Truthtellers

Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan traveled to Wuhan to make the news coverage regarding the Wuhan Virus pandemic. She was accused of picking quarrels and provoking trouble, putting her in prison for four years. The European Union (EU) said in a statement yesterday calling for an immediate release of Zhang and cited from credible sources that she had been tortured during detention. The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also issued a statement condemning China strongly for its false prosecution and conviction of Zhang, which reflected the CCP's fears of citizens who speak the truth.

The EU called for the immediate release of Zhang in a statement yesterday (29th). They also disclosed according to reliable sources, Zhang had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment during her detention, resulting in the severe deterioration of her health condition. They added that Zhang must receive adequate medical assistance. "The increasing restrictions on freedom of speech, access to information, intimidation and surveillance of journalists, as well as detentions, trials, and sentencing of human rights defenders, lawyers, and intellectuals in China will continue to be a major concern."

#US #China #EU #ZhangZhan #MikePompeo #CCP #CitizenJournalist #Jail #Detention #FreedomofSpeech #Surveillance #Suppression

Source: Stand News #Dec30

https://bit.ly/38aq8Tb

#PoliticalPrisoner #Family
Remanded Former Lawmaker #AlbertHo Receives Letter from Grandson: "Come Home Soon and We Love You"

Albert Ho, vice-chairman of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, with 9 other members of the Democratic Party were accused of organising and knowingly taking part in an unauthorized assembly and other charges on October 1, 2019.

All 10 pro-democracy figures pleaded guilty before the hearing. They were then remanded and the sentencing was set to be announced on May 28, 2021.

Ho’s former assistant and currently Tuen Mun District Councillor, Beatrice Chu, posted on her Facebook page that Ho was unwell when she visited him.

Ho said that he has been lacking sleep because he was put in an individual cell that was poorly ventilated.

On May 23, 2021, Chu posted an update on her page that Ho had been moved to a cell with better ventilation, but he still had poor appetite and looked depressed.

She mentioned that Ho’s grandchild wrote a letter to cheer up Ho on May 22, 2021. His grandson said he missed Ho much and that he understood Ho’s life in the cell is “bored and hot, but you have to stay strong! We all love you!"

Ho's grandson also told Ho that he would take good care of Grandma and not to worry.

Source: Stand News #May23

#Letter #HeartWarming #Love #BringThemBack #ComeHome #PoliticalSuppression #Jail

#PoliceState
Police Charge Imprisoned CHRF's Convener Figo Chan for Violating Societies Ordinance

While in jail, Figo Chan, the former convener of the Civil Human Rights Front (#CHRF), was charged by the police under the Societies Ordinance, for not supplying information about the now-disbanded group.

Police confirms that they had charged a 25-year-old man for not supplying information the police requested about the group, including names of members, activities, and funds.

This request came after a police letter to CHRF in April 2021 accusing it to be an "unregistered society". The group publicly responded to the accusation on April 4, 2021, pointing out that the Front had applied and received letters of no objection from the police for the peaceful, non-violent assemblies and marches they held over many years.

Following the latest charge to Figo Chan, police searched a number of premises of the CHRF on October 28, 2021, including the office of the League of Social Democrats. The League's chairperson said, however, the League and the CHRF are two different groups.

Source: Stand News #Oct29
https://thestandnews.page.link/hR4EgHkqzYfVDtTG7

#SocietiesOrdinance #PoliticalProsecution #Jail

#Court
Hong Kong Authorities Might Postpone #NationalSecurityLaw Court Case to 2022, Detaining 33 Key Dissidents for 1 Year Before Trial

On November 14, 2021, Hong Kong's Department of Justice (#DoJ) requested the courts to postpone the National Security Law (#NSL) cases of 47 pro-democracy figures who had participated in the 2020 primary election to February 2022.

This means that 33 of them will have been held in prison for an entire year, without any bail, before their trial can begin.

In March 2021, Hong Kong authorities arrested 47 key pro-democracy figures, including around a dozen of elected lawmakers. The defendants were accused of conspiracy to commit subversion in connection with the primary polls the pro-democracy camp held in the summer of 2020 to pick candidates for the Legislative Council (#LegCo) Elections that was cancelled by the government in the end.

While 14 of them have been released on bail ahead of their trial, 33 had been on remand for almost a year.

#PrimaryElection #PoliceState #Regime #Jail #PoliticalProsecution

Source: InmediaHK; #Nov14
https://bit.ly/3wKeNni

#Court
Ex-head of Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil group convicted over ‘release political prisoners’ balloon

//The former head of the group that organised Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil has been convicted of breaking aviation regulations by flying a balloon with a banner reading “Release political prisoners.”

Ex-lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan, who formerly headed the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, was fined and jailed at Eastern Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for the aviation offence and obstructing police.

The 65-year-old was convicted on two charges – flying a balloon exceeding two metres in controlled airspace, and obstructing a police officer.

Magistrate Jacky Ip fined him HK$3,500 for violating the aviation order and imposed a prison term of three weeks for obstruction. Two of the three weeks will run consecutively with the current jail term Lee is serving.//

Read more:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/04/28/ex-head-of-hong-kongs-tiananmen-vigil-group-convicted-over-release-political-prisoners-balloon/

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Apr28

#PoliticalOppression #PoliticalPrisoner #Jail #LeeCheukYan

#Court
47 democrats’ subversion case adjourned to June 2022

//Hong Kong’s high-profile subversion case involving 47 leading democrats has been adjourned to June 2022, days after a court judgement revealed at least 11 of them would plead guilty to the offence under the Beijing-imposed #NationalSecurityLaw.

Most of the group have been held in custody since their arrest in February last year and their cases have been repeatedly adjourned. Only 13 of them have been granted bail.

The democrats, accused of conspiracy to commit subversion, appeared before Principal Magistrate Peter Law on Thursday. The court is handling proceedings to commit them to the High Court, where the maximum penalty is life in prison.

Unlike previous hearings, the courtroom was relatively quiet when the democrats were escorted to the dock by corrections officers. Their family and friends, who took up most seats in the public gallery, only waved at the group and made hand gestures.

Court attendees have been less vocal since six people were arrested earlier this month under the colonial-era sedition law for allegedly causing nuisance during a hearing. One of the arrestees, citizen journalist Siew Yun-long – better known as Siu Wan – also attended Thursday’s hearing.//

https://hongkongfp.com/2022/04/28/47-democrats-subversion-case-adjourned-to-june/

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Apr28

#Save47 #PoliticalPrisoner #Jail