#Arrest #PoliticalPersecution
Police Detain and Add "Riotting" Charge to Hong Kong Pro-democracy activist

Pro-democracy activist Owen Chow was detained by the police after Chow reported to the police station on Feb 10, 2021, according to his bail condition.

Chow was previously arrested for participating in the primary election of the democracy camp in 2020, which the authorities claimed as a "breach of the #NationalSecurityLaw". On Feb 10, 2021, Chow received an addition accusation of "rioting", for purportedly entering the Legislative Council Building on July 1, 2019.

Since August 2020, Chow has been providing assistance for the families of the 12 pro-democracy Hongkongers who were arrested and jailed in China.

Source: Stand News #Feb10
https://bit.ly/3rDL5N9

#OwenChow #PrimaryElection #Save12 #LegCo #July1 #PoliceState

#MassArrest #NeverGiveUp
HK Pro-democracy Activist Arrested Again on Birthday: More Hongkongers will Face Arrest, Trial and Jail during Surging Political Oppression

In January 2021, the National Security unit of the Hong Kong Police Force made a mass arrest of 55 democrats, citing their involvement in thr Legislative Council primary election in 2020 as a "breach of #NationalSecurityLaw".

Most of the arrestees on bail were told to report to the police station on February 10, 2021. #OwenChow, who has been actively assisting the familes of the 12 pro-democracy Homgkongers jailed in China, is one of them.

When reporting to the police station as instructed, Chow was arrested again on Feb 10, 2021 on suspicion of "rioting" for purportedly entering the Leglistive Council building on 1 July 2019. Chow was later released on HK$10,000 bail in the evening.

Chow expressed that in view of growing #PoliticalOppression, more pro-democracy supporters will be arrested, trialed, and jailed in the future.

“I believe the authorities can never arrest all those who yearn for democracy. So long as we maintain our resolution, the revolution will not end until we succeed.”

He wished that Hongkongers could survive the times of the #WhiteTerror untroubled.

February 10, the day he was re-arrested, is also Chow’s birthday. He said that it was an unforgettable birthday for him to face an additional criminal charge of "rioting".

Although he took it in peace, Chow admitted that he missed having birthday dinner with his family. Chow called on everyone to treasure the time spent with their family.

During Chow’s interview with the media, the police interrupted repeatedly, urging the reporters to disperse.

Source: Stand News; #Feb10
https://bit.ly/3tDYiHA

#PrimaryElection #Rioting

#Interview #Courage
Union Leader in Hong Kong Has No Regrets for Pro-democracy Quest and Pledges to Fight til the Very End

Winnie Yu Wai-ming, the chairlady of the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (#HAEA) has rehearsed in her mind for many times of being arrested.

Early in the morning at 6am on January 6, 2021, Yu heard loud thumps on her door followed by blaring commands, “Hong Kong Police. Open the door. Hong Kong Police. Open the door.”

Yu’s husband opened the door as instructed. Police rushed in to arrest Yu for her involvement in Legislative Council Primary Election in 2020.

Being arrested for the first time in her life, Yu faced severe charges of the "subversion of state power" under the #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL).

Not only was she not afraid, but she also remained so calm that she has surprised evern herself.

Alone in the prison cell that night, she did not pity herself but other fellow protesters who were also being arrested. She thought to herself, “they must have faced much worse treatment than I do.”

Yu was known for sheding tears easily, but Yu didn’t cry at all after the arrest, “crying is giving in to the authorities.”

Even after she was released on bail, Yu didn’t think of stepping down from the frontline. Instead she seized the time to do as much as she could.

Yu often tells people that she has “no regrets”. In just over a year, Yu experienced a lot from partaking in anti-ELAB movement and involving in the primary election to being arrested. Yu said there were no regrets. With a smile on her face, Yu said, “I think I am stiff-necked.”

Nevertheless, Yu has once considered leaving Hong Kong. Now with her travel documents confiscated, Yu said resolutely, “I chose to stay put and I won’t regret. If any Hongkonger wishes to stay and continue the fight, I am willing to fight with them til the end.”

Source: inmediahk.net; #Feb9
https://bit.ly/3cTm0tu

#WinnieYu #YuWaiMing #PrimaryElection #MassArrest

More than 50 people from the primary election mass arrest sent posts on social media encouraging HongKongers before checking in to the police station on 10 Feb 2021.

#MassArrest #PrimaryElection #Hongkongers #GoHKgraphics

#PoliceState #Authoritarianism
Hong Kong mass arrest: Proud to sacrifice my future for Hong Kong, said Activist Ventus Lau

On Feb 28, 2021, Hong Konh pro-democracy activist #VentusLau reported to the police station in the afternoon, and spoke to reporters before entering the station.

Lau said that on this day 5 years ago, localist and pro-democracy activist #EdwardLeung Tin-kei received 66,000 votes during the 2016 New Territories East Legislative Council by-election, establishing a place for localists in the city's political spectrum.

During an interview, Leung, now in prison, said that the reason he did not leave Hong Kong was to show Hongkongers that someone is still willing to sacrifice his future for Hong Kong. Lau felt honoured that he could become that “someone” as well.

Lau criticised the Hong Kong SAR government’s arrest of the dozens of activists, calling it naive to assume that this would bring an end to the democracy movement in Hong Kong. He believed Hongkongers will prove the government wrong. He urged Hongkongers to keep the faith, and turn their anger into their strength, so that he could witness the day when everyone could finally meet each other outside of Legco - alluding to the pledge of protesters to finally meet again in victory one day.

Before heading into the police station, Lau said, “Don’t forget to include me in the crowd count in the next rally or assembly”.

District Councillor #FergusLeung, who also reported to the police station on the same day, expected that he would very likely be accused and no bail would be granted, and he felt sad to leave behind everyone and everything around him. However, he still hoped Hongkongers would understand that today is not the end of Hong Kong’s democracy movement. Whether it ends now or not is all up to Hongkongers. He did not regret his decision, and said that Hong Kong's democracy movement is a long battle, ad hope Hongkongers can stand firm in these difficult times.

Source: In Media #Feb28
https://bit.ly/3dTMGLi

#HongkongersVoices #MassArrest #AuthoritarianRegime #PoliticalOppression #PrimaryElection

=====
Read more:

Hong Kong Pro-democracy Activist #LesterShum: We've Decided to Not Surrender to the Authoritarian Regime and We'll Continue with this Road

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28804

#Court #NationalSecurityLaw
Hong Kong Police Bar Arrested Pro-democracy Activist From Meeting Their Lawyers Before Court Hearing

On March 1, 2021, 47 pro-democracy activists and politicians, who were charged with inciting subversion under the National Security Law was mentioned at the West Kowloon Magistrate Court at 11 am.

The defendants were detained overnight in the police station and sent to court under escort at around 9 am. The defendants’ finally got to meet their lawyers at the detention room in the court. The trial started at around 1 pm.

The live broadcast arranged by the court was, however, not clear. Journalists couldn’t identify who attend the hearing and who were absent from the screen.

The live streaming of the court failed to capture all the defendants. Some faces cannot shown. From the screen, at least ten police officers were standing in front of the defendants.

In the court, some defendants made requests. However, no one could hear them in the live broadcast and could not identify which ones of them were involved.

A male voice among the defendants shouted, “I just want to pass an instruction to my lawyer. Why is it not allowed?”.

A female voice which resemember former reporter Gwyneth HO Kwai-lam shouted, “I want to meet my lawyer! I am not allowed to meet my lawyer before the hearing. That’s what I know only.”

Source: Apple News #Mar1

https://bit.ly/37SD5jW

#PoliceState #Lawyer #HumanitarianCrisis #PoliticalPersecution #PrimaryElection

In Hong Kong, 47 out of the 53 democrats from the primary election mass arrest on Jan 6 was sent to court on March 1, 2021 due to Subversion of State Power under the National Security Law.

#NationalSecurityLaw #MassArrest #PrimaryElection #GoHKgraphics

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

What has happened since the pro-democracy LegCo primary?

#LegCo #MassArrest #PrimaryElection #GoHKgraphics

#Court #PrimaryElection #NeverGiveUp
Former Pro-democracy Councilor #RoyTam Denied Bail Again for Taking Part in Primary Election

Former Hong Kong pro-democracy district councilor Roy Tam Hoi-Pong, was denied bail by the High Court on Monday, 23 August, 2021.

Roy Tam was detained for nearly half a year for taking part in the 2020 legislative primary election in the pro-democracy camp, and his bail application was rejected 3 times already.

The bail application was heard by Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping, one of the judges chosen by the Chief Executive Carrie Lam to handle cases related to the National Security Law. Esther Toh rejected the bail application after the hearing.

Before he left the court, Roy Tam called out to those attending the hearing: "It doesn’t matter! Hold On!" The attendees waved back to him, replying: "Roy, hold on!"

#NationalSecurityLaw

Source: Stand News #Aug23
https://bit.ly/3B11no4

#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

#Save47 #Court
After One Year of Detention, Prosecution Documents Are Still Not Ready

Source: You are not alone Telegram Channel #Nov29

Image: Stand News

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31545

#Save47 #Court
After One Year of Detention, Prosecution Documents Are Still Not Ready

As of November 2021, most of the "47 democrats" in Hong Kong have been detained for 8 months after being arrested for "conspiring to subvert state power" under the #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL). They were charged over the #PrimaryElection which was held on July 11 and 12, 2020.

On November 29, 2021, a trial took place at the West-Kowloon Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong.

The defence informed the magistrate about their intention of confessing their accusation.

One of the defendants told the magistrate #LawTakChuenPeter that he has dismissed his legal aid counsel and would defend himself. He also made a complaint about the prosecutor who failed to provide him with the relevant documents about his case.

During the trial, most of the time was spent in reporting the progress of translation and document verification. Likewise, most debates are about the document preparation progress of the prosecution and the time they have spent, considering that the defendants have been detained for nearly one year.

After the tug-of-war between the defence and the prosecution, the magistrate asked the Chief Prosecutor #LoTinWaiAndy to set up a timeline and submit their documents accordingly.

The court proposed the next trial date, Feb 8, 2022, for some defendants tentatively. However, the timetable of tge prosecutor was yet to be confirmed.

In the next hour in court, the defence and the prosecution had disputes over the time when documents related to "summary of facts" and the "allegations" would be completed. They both had a different timeframe in mind.

While some defendants would be mentioned Feb 8, 2022, all of them will be presented in court in March 4, 2022. This means the democrats would have been detained for more than a year when the next trial takes place.

Source: You are not alone Telegram Channel #Nov29

https://t.me/youarenotalonehk_live/18823

Image: Stand News
https://thestandnews.page.link/HrCv1WBSzAsT6nw99

#Regime #FailedState #Judiciary #Arrest #47Democrats

#Save47 #Court
Defendants Apply to Lift Restrictions on Reporting Court Proceedings

Towards the end of the court hearing for the #47Democrats on Nov 29, one defending lawyer attempted to seek clarification from Magistrate #LawTakChunPeter over three legal stand points, including asking the court to lift the reporting restrictions set out in the Magistrates Ordinance.

Section 87A of the Magistrates Ordinance prohibits reporting the majority of details of committal proceedings, but defendants have the right to request that the restrictions be removed. Accordingly, several defendants' lawyers asked the court to remove the limitations.

Magistrate Law, in fact, sought assistance from one of the defending lawyers to coordinate the matter. The courtroom broke into laughter as the judge struggled with the overwhelming workload of a case with 47 defendants.

The magistrate decided to adjourn hearing the substantive arguments on the application to January 17, 2022 at 9:30am.

He ordered some defendants to return to the court on February 8, while another court appearance is scheduled for March 4.

#FailedState #Regime #Prosecution #Detention #HKPrimaries

Source: Stand News, You are not alone Telegram Channel #Nov29

Read more:
After One Year of Detention, Prosecution Documents Are Still Not Ready
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31545

Attending Citizens Cheer at #47Democrats under Trial and Jeer Disorganized Prosecution
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31547

Prince Wong Ji-yuet Granted Bail In Time for Winter Solstice

(Editor's note: Winter Solstice falls on Dec 21 this year. It is traditionally celebrated in Hong Kong with a family dinner, which locals treat as even more important than family visits during Lunar New Year.)

Prince Wong Ji-yuet, one of the #47Democrats in the Primary Election case, was granted bail by the High Court after having been remanded for 10 months.

The Primary Election case, which saw 47 people charged with “conspiracy to subvert state power” under the National Security Law (#NSL), was heard by the West Kowloon Magistracy earlier, and will be postponed until March 4 next year. 14 defendants have been granted bail, while the rest remain in custody since their arrest 10 months ago, including Wong.

NSL-designated judge Toh Lye-ping approved Wong's bail application this afternoon after hearing the statements of both parties. Wong was calm when she received the approval, while her husband looked skyward and seemed relieved. As one of her bail conditions was that she must remain at the designated address, the judge reminded Wong that she must obey the bail conditions and take them seriously, and not to take a "staycation" at another location.

Wong left the court around 6:30pm by private car. She looked back at reporters before getting in the car, and raised her right fist with a smile.

#PrimaryElection #NationalSecurityLaw
 
Source: Stand News #Dec21

https://www.facebook.com/710476795704610/posts/4875149819237266/

#Arrest #PoliticalOppression
An Australian-Chinese dual citizen was accused of violating National Security Law
HK authorities : No obligation to grant consular visitation to dual nationals

Source: Radio France Asia; #Feb8

#PrimaryElection #Primaries #Legcopetition #Australia #SecurityBureau #GorgonNg #NgChingHang

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️

#Arrest #PoliticalOppression
An Australian-Chinese dual citizen was accused of violating National Security Law
HK authorities : No obligation to grant consular visitation to dual nationals

On February 8, Australian Broadcast Company (#ABC) quoted the federal government that an Australian-Chinese man was charged under the National security law (#NSL).

Although the authorities did not reveal his identity, a spokesperson at Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (#DFAT) indicated that the defendant was arrested on Jan 6, 2021, for "conspiring to subvert state power".

He was released on bail the next day but was then re-arrested on March 1 when attending court, and charged with "subversion".

With reference to the date of arrest and the accusation, the man is said to be one of the #47Democrats, Gordon Ng (#吳政亨).

Yet, ABC cannot confirm whether the defendant mentioned by DFAT is Gordon Ng.

DFAT has also revealed that Australian officials have been repeatedly refused consular access to the man, because Hong Kong authorities no longer recognise dual citizenship.

"The Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong was notified by Hong Kong authorities of the arrest of a dual Australian-Chinese citizen under its National Security Law in January 2021," a DFAT spokesperson said.

The report continued that the Hong Kong Security Bureau declined to provide any further details about the prosecution, saying that it could not comment on individual cases; and that the Hong Kong government was not obliged to grant consular visitation rights to dual nationals.

ps. Gordon Ng is the founder of Legcopetition, a voluntary group for primaries. He is also known as "#Liberal (#李伯盧)" on social media platforms.

#PrimaryElection #Primaries #Legcopetition #Australia #SecurityBureau #GorgonNg #NgChingHang

Source: Radio France Asia; #Feb8
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/hk-aus-02082022055359.html

A year ago, 55 democrats from the LegCo primary election were accused of violating the #NSL. In this year, Hong Kong has changed a lot...

#LegCo #PrimaryElection #Democrats47 #GoHKgraphics