#WhiteTerror
#PublicLibrary Chief in Hong Kong is Subject to Discipline after Displaying #JimmyLai's Books

Under the National Security Law, civil servants and non-civil servants in Hong Kong are required to sign a "declaration" upholding the Basic Law, "devoting" themselves to the HKSAR, being "loyal" to their work and being accountable to the HKSAR government.

As of September 2021, around 180,000 civil servants have signed the declaration, only 129 have not responded or refuse to sign. Among them, 105 are in long-term employment terms, and the rest are in trial-term employment terms. 113 out of them are in civilian grade, and the rest are in discipline service grade.

Patrick Nip Tak-Kuen, Secretary for Civil Service in the Hong Kong SAR Government attended a Legislative Council (#LegCo) meeting on September 20, 2021.

When answering a question about the penalty for civil servants violating the declaration, Nip revealed that the government had already started the discipline procedure towards a public library chief.

The related librarian is the Director of #ShekTongTsui Public Library. He was suspended from his duty, after placing a number of books authored by Jimmy Lai, the founder of #NextMedia and #AppleDaily, in the "Librarian's Choice for Borrowing". Apple Daily was a pro-democracy Chinese-language newspaper in Hong Kong, which had to shut down due to the government's pressure in June 2021.

Source: InMedia #Sep20
https://bit.ly/3zzVRYB

#NipTakKuen #NationalSecurityLaw #CivilServant #BasicLaw #Declaration #Censorship #Books #Librarian

#WhiteTerror
Another Civil Society Organisation Disbanded in Hong Kong, folliwing National Security Police's Inquiry

Source: InMedia #Sept21

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#WhiteTerror
Another Civil Society Organisation Disbanded in Hong Kong, folliwing National Security Police's Inquiry

Under the #NationalSecurityLaw, another civil society organisation was disbanded in Hong Kong.

The China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group (#CHRLCG) announceed on September 21, 2021 that it would be dissolved within September and has already started the related procedure.

The director of the concern group will resign.

The national security police in Hong Kong once required the concern group to hand in details in August 2021, and the concern group did comply.

Some reporters tried to search the Facebook Page of the concern group in the afternoon, but no content can be shown. Its website displayed "Website is under maintenance".

#EmilyLau Wai-Hing, Vice-President of CHRLCG, earlier revealed that they received a mail from the Hong Kong police asking for data submission. They made an agreement with the police force about the extension of the due date to . #AlbertHo Chun-Yan, who originally made a statement on behalf of the concerned group, resigned from all duties and left the relevant groups.

CHRLCG was a Hong Kong non-profitable organisation founded in January 2007. They aimed to promote and protect the rights of Human Rights Lawyers and legal workers in China. Their works include subsidising human rights cases, proposing policy, training and education.
#ChinaHumanRightsLawyersConcernedGroup #LauWaiHing #HoChunYan #Disband #CivilSociety #HumanRightsLawyer

Source: Stand News #Sep21
https://bit.ly/3kEcFsZ

'Frosty' economic times with China likely to continue despite release of two Michaels

Relations between Ottawa and Beijing are not likely to warm up anytime soon despite the release of the two Michaels, reinforcing the need for Canada to pursue a revamped Asian economic strategy, some China-watchers said Monday.

On Saturday, Canadian businessman Michael Spavor and diplomat Michael Kovrig arrived back in the country after Chinese authorities had detained them for more than 1,000 days. Their detention followed and was widely seen as a response to a U.S. extradition request for Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. executive Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested in Vancouver in December 2018.

Source: Financial Post #Sep28

https://t.co/QnWKiB7dEX

#Ottawa #Beijing #Meng #Michaels

#WhiteTerror #Academia
Hong Kong Professor's Shanghai Lecture Live Stream Cut Off after Allegedly Being Reported to Party Authorities

#FudanUniversity #LingnanUniversity #AcademicFreedom

Source: Stand News; #Sept25

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Hong Kong Professor's Shanghai Lecture Live Stream Cut Off after Allegedly Being Reported to Party Authorities

Professor Xu Zidong of Hong Kong's Lingnan University spoke at a symposium on Chinese literature in Shanghai, when the lecture's live stream was shut down after an attendee allegedly reported his speech to the China's Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection (CCDI). The actual reason for the shutdown was not known.

Xu is the former Head of Lingnan University's Chinese Department, and attended the symposium in Shanghai's Fudan University as a guest speaker. His talk discussed the three systems of authority portrayed in the 1993 Chinese novel White Deer Plain - "political authority", "clan authority", and "divine authority".

A video clip of the live stream was shared on Weibo, showing the moment it was being shut down. It showed Fudan University Professor Li Nan, the symposium's host, slowly turning the live stream camera away from Xu, who continued his lecture. Li then spoke into the camera: "The disciplinary Inspector came a moment ago, and said we're not allowed to live-stream this lecture. A female student was taking photos earlier, and sent it to the CCDI. The CCDI secretary came to shut us down… Yes, we'll record this with our phones. We'll record it."

The video was shared over 4000 times, until it was ultimately deleted.

#FudanUniversity #LingnanUniversity #AcademicFreedom

Source: Stand News; #Sept25
https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/ab%E5%B6%BA%E5%8D%97%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%87%E7%B3%BB%E5%89%8D%E7%B3%BB%E4%B8%BB%E4%BB%BB%E5%BE%A9%E6%97%A6%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%B8%E8%AB%87%E6%94%BF%E6%AC%8A%E6%97%8F%E6%AC%8A%E7%A5%9E%E6%AC%8A-%E5%82%B3%E9%81%AD%E5%AD%B8%E7%94%9F%E8%88%89%E5%A0%B1%E7%9B%B4%E6%92%AD%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%B7

#Economy
No Chinese Stock Left Among Global Top 10 as #Tencent Slides

//Tencent Holdings Ltd. has lost its place among the world’s 10 largest companies by market value, leaving no Chinese company in the list as Bejing’s regulatory crackdown continues to wreak havoc on the stock market.

Hong Kong-listed shares of the gaming and social media company fell 0.5% Thursday, valuing it at $556 billion. That’s just below U.S. chipmaker Nvidia Corp., data compiled by Bloomberg shows.

This is the first time that a Chinese company isn’t among the world’s ten largest since 2017, the data show. Tencent’s unseating follows that of #Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. earlier this year, as China’s tech behemoths face tougher rules on everything from monopolistic practices to data security and kids’ gaming hours.//

Source: Bloomberg #Sept16

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-16/tencent-s-slide-leaves-china-with-no-stocks-in-global-top-10

#CCP #HengSengIndex #ChinaMarket #StockMarket

Brazil Stops Purchasing more Coronavac Vaccine and Does not Recommend for the 3rd Dose Booster

Source: Stand News #Sep13

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Brazil Stops Purchasing more Coronavac Vaccine and Does not Recommend for the 3rd Dose Booster

Brazil is a major customer of China's Coronavac. However, due to the rising efficacy concerns against the COVID Delta variant, along with other vaccines becoming more accessible, the Brazilian government pauses the Coronavac vaccines purchases and encourages people not to use it for a third booster shot. The CoronaVac vaccine factory originally planned to be built in Brazil is also unknown whether it will be built as scheduled.

The Wall Street Journal mentions that Brazil has almost fully purchased 100 million doses of China’s CoronaVac shot. However, the Brazilian government no longer recommends using CoronaVac as a booster dose, but Pfizer instead due to the low protective rates of CoronaVac.

According to the Brazilian government data, the Chinese shot accounted for 80% of the doses at the beginning of the year due to the National Immunization Programme but now declines to less than 35%. The data also shows two-thirds of Brazilians have had one vaccine shot, and just over a third have had two doses.

Source: Stand News #Sep13

https://bit.ly/39t1w7W

#COVID19 #SinovacBiotech #Coronavac #Pfizer #Brazil #WallStreetJournal #Vaccine #Booster

#Oppression
At least 49 Civil Organisations and Political Parties Lost to Beijing Influence in Hong Kong Since imposition of National Security Law in 2020

#CCP #hongkong #nationalsecuritylaw #NSL #history

Source: Stand News

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Stand News Records Civil Organisations and Political Parties Lost to Beijing Influence

Since the launch of the National Security Law on 1 July 2020, many civil organizations and political parties were forced to dissolve. In 2021, the political environment had worsened. From Beijing and Hong Kong officials, pro-government parties and CCP mouthpieces, there are non-stopped attacks against Hong Kong opposition parties, leading to a bigger wave of closure of many civil organizations.

According to Stand News, at least 49 civil organizations declared their dissolution since January 2021. The oldest one had a 48-year history since its incorporation.

Those organizations, which were forced to dissolve, typically remove their websites, social media pages, and all the contents in them from public access. This results in the existence of such organizations and events that may be lost to history, and Stand News is now making an effort to record them down before they disappear.

Source: Stand News
#CCP #hongkong #NationalSecurityLaw #NSL #history

#Court
‘Heaviest sentence yet’ in Hong Kong #doxxing case, but site targeting democrats, journalists still online

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Sept28

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#Court
‘Heaviest sentence yet’ in Hong Kong #doxxing case, but site targeting democrats, journalists still online

//Despite a crackdown on the sharing of personal data, a huge doxxing website targeting over 2,000 Hong Kong democrats and journalists remains online despite HKFP's enquiries seven weeks ago.

Hung Wing-sum was sentenced to 45 months behind bars on Monday after admitting to publicly divulging the personal details of government officials, judges, celebrities, police officers and their family members over the Telegram messaging app.

“This is the heaviest sentence imposed by a court in a doxxing case so far,” Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung said in a statement.

Monday’s sentencing comes as a website targeting democrats and journalists remains online almost two months after HKFP alerted the authorities with media enquires. Since 2019, the “HK Leaks” website has openly maintained an online database of personal data belonging to over 2,000 Hong Kong democrats, protesters and journalists.

ID card numbers, headshots, home addresses and phone numbers are often included. Historically, the site has been hosted on Russian servers and promoted by groups linked to the Chinese Communist Party.

When asked in early August if any action would be take against the domain, or whether the site violated existing laws, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data refused to comment on individual cases...

Responding to HKFP, the police also refused to comment on individual cases last month, and did not say whether any action would be taken...//

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Sept28

https://hongkongfp.com/2021/09/28/privacy-chief-welcomes-heaviest-sentence-yet-for-doxxing-case-but-a-site-targeting-democrats-journalists-still-online/

#CCP #Privacy #PoliticalOppression #Discrimination

Samoa's new leader confirms scrapping of China-funded port

The new prime minister of Samoa has confirmed she will cancel a China-backed port project, but hasn't closed the door to China as she navigates a path for the Pacific nation against a backdrop of intensifying regional competition between Beijing and Washington.

Fiame Naomi Mataafa indicated she would only approve investments that had clear benefits for her country as she expressed doubts about the upside for the Pacific in being a pawn in a geopolitical tussle between the two superpowers.

Mataafa said China's interest in the Pacific had grown as the United States effectively "moved out" of the region.

Source: Reuters #Jul30

https://reut.rs/376vxt4

#China #Beijing #Port #Sydney

Hong Kong lawyers create court database of protest-related cases in bid to safeguard #RuleofLaw

#CompendiumProject #Court #Justice #Truth

Source: HKFP; #Oct3

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Hong Kong lawyers create court database of protest-related cases in bid to safeguard #RuleofLaw

A group of young Hong Kong lawyers have created a database of magistrates’ rulings in protest-related cases in a bid to safeguard the rule of law, amid unprecedented public interest in court hearings after thousands were prosecuted over the 2019 unrest.

The #CompendiumProject – launched in June – has compiled information on more than 500 protest-related cases that were handled by all seven magistrates’ courts. From the name of the magistrate to the reasons for the verdict and sentence, the platform seeks to provide written records of lower court hearings that are rarely made public by the authorities.

The Legal Reference System managed by Hong Kong’s judiciary seldom publishes written judgements by magistrates.

One of the project consultants, barrister Chris Ng, said such a practice had made it difficult for lawyers to check the legal principles and sentencing guidelines adopted by different magistrates, and whether their rulings in cases of a similar nature were consistent.

“Lawyers have always been kept in the dark,” he said.

As at the end of July, the city’s magistrates’ courts were processing 150 protest-related cases, while 1,101 had been completed.

“Following the social movement, the whole sentencing landscape has changed. To put it simply, the sentences became heavier,” another junior barrister involved in the project added.

The project’s low-profile adviser #MargaretNg,  said in her new book about the rule of law that Hongkongers have developed an “unprecedented” interest in judicial procedures.

“Self-initiated” citizens who record court proceedings, and the compendium project, were both proof that the rule of law would not be “taken away” easily, she said.

#CompendiumProject #Court #Justice #Truth

Source: HKFP; #Oct3
https://hongkongfp.com/2021/10/03/hong-kong-lawyers-create-court-database-of-protest-related-cases-in-bid-to-safeguard-rule-of-law/

Hong Kong: First person jailed under security law given nine years

Tong Ying-kit, whose flag bore the phrase "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times", was earlier found guilty of inciting secession and terrorism.

He was the first person to be charged under Hong Kong's controversial national security law.

Friday's verdict has set the tone for how future cases might be interpreted.

More than 100 people have been arrested since the law came into force in 2020.

Critics say it reduces Hong Kong's autonomy and makes it easier to punish activists. But Beijing insists that the law is needed to bring stability to the city.

Source: BBC #Jul30

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-58022072

#NationalSecurityLaw #TongYingKit #Liberate #Beijing

#Academia #Oppression #FreedomOfSpeech #University
Lingnan University Terminates Adjunct Appointment of 2 Outspoken Professors

#LingnanUniversity #HongKong #TearGas #NationalSecurityLaw”

Source: Stand News; #Sept30

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#Academia #Oppression #FreedomOfSpeech #University
Lingnan University Terminates Adjunct Appointment of 2 Outspoken Professors

In response to inquiries by Stand News, the Hong Kong Lingnan University (#HKLU) indicated the adjunct appointment of Law Wing-Sang and Hui Po-Keung have ended in September 2021, and their names have been removed from the school website's list of faculty members. They were professors of Cultural Studies.

The university did not mention the reason for not renewing their contracts.

Law and Hui are scholars active in pro-democracy protest movements, commenting often on current affairs. At the beginning of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, after the police fired tear gas on the gathering crowds, the two publicly condemned the government's actions and went on strike as teachers.

Hui is also a trustee of the “612 Humanitarian Relief Fund”, a fund supporting those injured or arrested during the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement.

After the implement of National Security Law, Law continued to comment on newspapers. He published an opinion piece in MingPao on September 3, 2021, saying that the implementation of the National Security Law had 'perfected' Hong Kong's democratic 'election' system overnight. It also put an end to the ongoing controversy over the pace of democratization since the city's “return to China”: “Hong Kong strides into the era of “authoritarian rule”.

Source: Stand News; #Sept30
https://www.thestandnews.com/society/a_%E5%B6%BA%E5%A4%A7%E8%88%87%E7%BE%85%E6%B0%B8%E7%94%9F%E8%A8%B1%E5%AF%B6%E5%BC%B7%E5%90%88%E7%B4%84%E7%B5%82%E7%B5%90-%E6%95%99%E8%81%B7%E5%93%A1%E5%90%8D%E5%96%AE%E5%B7%B2%E9%99%A4%E5%90%8D

#LingnanUniversity #HongKong #TearGas #NationalSecurityLaw #Censorship #Professor #LawWingSang #HuiPoKeung

#FailedState
#PandoraPapers Expose Undisclosed Assets of Former Hong Kong #ChiefExecutives

Source: Stand News #Oct4

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#FailedState
#PandoraPapers Expose Undisclosed Assets of Former Hong Kong #ChiefExecutives

Hong Kong Stand News took part in the Pandora Papers investigations by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (#ICIJ), joining forces with over 600 journalists across 117 countries and territories in uncovering secret finances of the rich and powerful of the world.

The papers uncovered undisclosed assets held by two former chief executives of Hong Kong, #LeungChunYing and TungCheeWah, both of whom are now serving on the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (#CPPCC) as vice-chairmen.

(1) Leung Chun-ying's Undisclosed #UGL-Related Sales May Constitute Misconduct, Says Ex-ICAC Officer

Leung was found to have made undisclosed sales of shares worth HKD $2.3 million in EuroAsia Properties, a subsidiary of international property services firm DTZ, which he held through a convoluted string of ownership via two offshore companies.

Notably, the undisclosed sale occurred during an anti-corruption investigation on Leung in 2015, in which he was said to have received HKD $50 million as part of an agreement with Australian firm UGL when it acquired DTZ Holdings. The details of the newly found sales agree with those of the UGL agreement, which was disclosed by Sydney Morning Herald.

The ICIJ and Stand News had inquired Leung regarding the new findings, without receiving a reply.

Since the Pandora Papers were published, however, Leung published a statement on the same day, claiming that the government's reporting rules did not require declaring changes in subsidiary companies. He also said that he had initiated procedures for resigning from his director's position at EuroAsia before becoming chief executive, and that it may not be immediately effective due to the differing legal processes in different countries.

However, barrister and former ICAC Chief Investigation Officer Stephen Char said that this shows that loopholes exist in the government's procedures of declaring assets. If there is sufficient evidence that the omission is deliberate, Char added, it may constitute an offence of Misconduct in public office.

(2) Tung Chee-Wah and Family Involved in Over 72 Offshore Companies

The Pandora Papers also show former chief executive Tung Chee-wah and his family to be involved in at least 72 offshore companies, of which 7 are owned by Tung.

One company's HSBC bank account was found to have current assets worth an estimated USD $1 million.

Tung's youngest son also has a Bank of China account via another offshore company. Tung's brother Chee-chen allegedly also has bank accounts through 4 offshore companies, and owns mansions in opulent neighborhoods via yet another two offshore companies.

Of the 7 companies owned by Tung, the papers show that he has either full or partial ownership in his name or in a company name. These 7 are all established in March 2005, after Tung's resignation from his chief executive position.

Now 84 years of age, Tung was conspicuously absent at the flag-raising ceremony on China's national day last Friday, Oct 1. His spokesperson said that Tung was not feeling well that day, and was resting at home.

See also:

Ex-Hong Kong leader CY Leung sold shares for HK$2.3 million during anti-corruption probe

https://hongkongfp.com/2021/10/04/ex-hong-kong-leader-cy-leung-sold-shares-for-hk2-3-million-during-anti-corruption-probe-report/

Source: Stand News #Oct4

https://bit.ly/3a8mlG6

#Collusion #Corruption #ICIJ #UGL #HKCE