#Court #Regime #Judiciary
Pleading for the First #NationalSecurityLaw Conviction -- Hongkonger Raises Sign in Silence: "If there is no jury, does #CommonLaw still exist?"

The first National Security Law case against 24-year-old Tong Ying-Kit resulted in a conviction on "inciting secession" and "terrorism".

On Jul 29, 2021 is the day for mitigation, and the sentencing is scheduled on Jul 30.

Michael, in his 70s this year, raised a sign he handwrote: "If there is no jury, does Common Law still exist?" at Taikoo Plaza and stood in silence.

In response to the conviction of Tong, he bluntly replied, "It's already expected" and criticized that "under Common Law, large cases that go to the High court must have juries present- why isn't there one all of a sudden?"

"The three judges collude with each other, and it is no different from Mainland China." He lamented, "Now there is no law. Rule of law is dead."

Michael predicted that Tong, "even without life imprisonment, will face more than 20 years [of jail]."

He also described that currently, "NSL rules us all," so action does not change much and he fears arrest. However, he still came out and expressed his sentiments. "I'm a hardliner- if you don't shout they'd think you're dead."

Source: InMedia HK #Jul29

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Read more:

Is National Security Law Turning Hong Kong Into a Launchpad for China's #LegalTerrorism?

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/22449b

China Supporters call to send #AppleDaily Founder #JimmyLai for trial in China

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27372

#HongKongProtest #TongYingKit #NSL #PoliticalOppression #RuleOfLaw

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
Two more pro-democracy activists plead guilty in National Security Case in Hong Kong

Pro-democracy activist, #AndyLi Yu-hin, one of the 12 Hongkongers detained in China and a member of “Hong Kong Story”, pleaded guilty on August 19, 2021 to "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces", in a national security case linked to media tycoon and #AppleDaily founder #JimmyLai.

Another Hong Kong activist #ChanTszWah also admitted to "colluding" with Lai and others to "ask foreign forces to impose sanctions on Hong Kong or China" between July 2020 and February 2021.

Prosecutors alleged that Li and Chan were "core members of a political campaign led by Lai" which "called for international sanctions by organising rallies, publishing propaganda, and lobbying overseas politicians".

The prosecution claimed that Li and Chan had meetings with political figures from the US, the UK and Japan, including a senator who would run in the next U.S. presidential election. They were also accused of recommending a list of 144 Chinese and Hong Kong officials for international sanctions; and showing US officials 277 rounds of ammo fired by the Hong Kong police.

Andy Li was among the 12 Hong Kong people intercepted by the #CCP's Guangdong coast guard in August 2020 as they allegedly tried to flee Hong Kong by speedboat.

Source: Stand News; #Aug19

https://www.thestandnews.com/court/12-%E6%B8%AF%E4%BA%BA%E6%9D%8E%E5%AE%87%E8%BB%92%E8%AA%8D%E4%B8%B2%E8%AC%80%E5%8B%BE%E7%B5%90%E5%A4%96%E5%9C%8B%E5%8B%A2%E5%8A%9B-%E6%A1%88%E6%83%85%E6%8C%87%E8%B2%A0%E8%B2%AC%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E9%81%8A%E8%AA%AA%E5%88%B6%E8%A3%81%E4%B8%AD%E6%B8%AFv

#NationalSecurityLaw #NSL #ForeignForces #US

HK court denies bail to Apple Daily staff facing national security charges

Four staff members from the now-closed pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper were denied bail in a Hong Kong court on Thursday after they were charged with colluding with foreign forces under a national security law that has intensified fears over media freedoms.

Public broadcaster RTHK said national security judge Victor So rejected their bail applications because there was not enough evidence to show the defendants "will not commit further acts endangering national security".

The charges are the latest in a national security probe into media tycoon Jimmy Lai's newspaper, which folded after several hundred police raided its headquarters on June 17, freezing key assets and bank accounts.

Source: Reuters #Jul22

https://reut.rs/3Blrbfw

#AppleDaily #NationalSecurityLaw #VictorSo #Newspaper #JimmyLai

#PoliceState
Next Digital Directors Resign to Protect Staff: "When the freedom of expression has been eroded, no rights can be guaranteed"

#NextDigital is the parent company of #AppleDaily, a pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong that has been forced to shut down by the authorities in June 2021.

In the past few months, the Hong Kong police arrested the executives, editors and writers of Apple Daily; and charged the company's former CEO Cheung Kim-hung and Apple Daily editor-in-chief Ryan Law of breaching national security.

On Sunday, September 5, 2021, all four directors of Next Digital including chairman Ip Yut Kin announced their resignation in order to protect shareholders, creditors, employees and former employees.

In the statement, the directors pointed out that an orderly liquidation would serve the best interests of shareholders, creditors, staff and other stakeholders. Since the Hong Kong government has frozen Next Digital assets, the company cannot even pay the salary of their newspaper staff.

The latest statement of Next Digital also pointed out that "the Hong Kong government has never indicated which articles published by Apple Daily allegedly violated the National Security Law."

Next Digital condemned the government for spreading white terror, "This uncertainty created a climate of fear, resulting in many resignations among the remaining staff at the company in Hong Kong."

In closing the statement, the directors thanked all Apple Daily readers for not just their support, but also sharing their values and beliefs.

"You entrusted us with the work of journalism. You know well the free flow of information is key to a free society and a free market."

The statement also warned solemnly, "When the freedom of expression has eroded away, no rights can be guaranteed."

Source: Stand News; RTHK #Sept5

#Conscience #Integrity #MediaLandscape #JimmyLai

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

Source: InMedia #Sep20

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#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

#Award
#AppleDaily Founder #JimmyLai awarded 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award

Source: Stand News; #Nov18

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#Award
#AppleDaily Founder #JimmyLai awarded 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award

The Committee to Protect Journalists (#CPJ) awarded Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who is currently in jail, the 2021 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award on November 19, 2021 for his extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.

Complimenting Lai's achievement, CPJ said, "Lai has become a powerful symbol of the struggle to maintain press freedom in Hong Kong as China’s Communist Party exerts ever greater control over the territory."

The Committee further stated that "In prison, denied bail, the outspoken critic of the Chinese government and advocate for democracy faces charges that could keep him in jail for the rest of his life."

Source: Stand News; #Nov18

https://bit.ly/3nXrw3D

#Recognition #PressFreedom #Arrestee #Dissident #GwenIfill

#PressFreedom #Award
Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily Editors win Golden Pen of Freedom Award

Hong Kong media mogul #JimmyLai and the staff of the shuttered Apple Daily newsroom have been awarded the Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom award of the World Association of News Publishers.

Lai, who founded #AppleDaily, has been detained for nearly a year on charges under the National Security Law, including colluding with foreign forces and endangering national security. He is expected to spend his 74th birthday on Dec 8 behind bars.

Lai’s son, Sebastien Lai, accepted the award on behalf of his father. He said that “journalism is at the forefront of history,” and that “it records the present and informs the future. It is a check against the powerful, and the voice of the people in times of strife.”

Apple Daily, one of Hong Kong’s most popular Chinese-language newspapers, closed in June after authorities used the controversial National Security Law to arrest the editor-in-chief and four other senior executives.

“With Apple Daily closing in Hong Kong, and a crackdown against journalism across the region, there will be less and less people shining light in these dark corners.”

Sebastien Lai said, adding “Thank you very much for this award but please keep dad, the Apple Daily newsroom in Hong Kong, and the people of Hong Kong in your thoughts as these events unfold.”

#GoldenPen #Media #Award #PoliticalOppression #NationalSecurityLaw

Source: Citizen News; #Dec2
https://bit.ly/3EkUSyy

#Court
Hong Kong Court-apported liquidator attempts to take control of the #AppleDailyTaiwan Assets

On November 26, 2021, the Taiwan based Economic Democracy Union (#EDU) warned potential breaches of human rights and national security ramifications after a Hong Kong court-appointed liquidator sought permission to order Taiwan-based #AppleDaily and #NextMagazine to turn over all of their assets.

The union, a consortium of non-governmental organizations, urged the Taiwan government to take immediate action to ensure that Hong Kong’s #NationalSecurityLaw would have no foothold in #Taiwan.

According to a lawyer of the EDU, Taiwan would be in its rights to ignore the demands because they have not been reviewed by Taiwanese courts, and because Taiwanese courts can decline to enforce foreign laws.

Likewise, the EDU has framed the issue as significant in needing to prevent the Hong Kong National Security Law from encroaching upon Taiwanese sovereignty. The EDU also emphasized the potential dangers if the Apple Daily turned over information to Hong Kong authorities as a result of the seizure of its assets.

The liquidator is court-appointed, following the Apple Daily’s closure in June 2021. Hong Kong courts also froze 18 million Hong Kong dollars in company funds, preventing it from paying its workers, not long after courts moved to freeze assets of company CEO #JimmyLai.

Source: RFI; #Nov26

https://www.rfi.fr/cn/%E6%B8%AF%E6%BE%B3%E5%8F%B0/20211126-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E6%B8%85%E7%9B%A4%E5%AE%98%E4%BF%83-%E5%8F%B0%E8%98%8B-%E4%BA%A4%E8%B3%87%E7%94%A2-%E6%B0%91%E5%9C%98%E6%86%82%E6%B3%84%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E6%9D%90%E6%96%99-%E6%9B%B4%E6%81%90%E5%9C%8B%E5%AE%89%E6%B3%95%E5%9C%A8%E5%8F%B0%E6%8F%92%E8%B6%B3

#PoliceState #Assets #Liquidation #Arrest #CrossStraits

#Court
Jimmy Lai and 7 democrats jailed for involvement in banned Tiananmen Massacre Vigil

A Hong Kong court has sentenced eight democrats to jail for organising, taking part in, or inciting others to participate in the #TiananmenMassacre #vigil in 2020.

Former leaders of the now-defunct #HongKongAlliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China – including chairperson #Lee CheukYan, vice-chairperson #ChowHangTung, executive committee member #SimonLeung, as well as liquidator #RichardTsoi – were among the eight defendants. The other defendants were Hong Kong media tycoon #JimmyLai, former lawmakers #LeungYiuChung and #WuChiWai, and activist #GwynethHo.

Each of the defendants was handed jail terms of between four months and two weeks and 14 months for the various charges – all will serve their sentences concurrently.

The judge insisted on the need for “deterrent” sentences, accusing the defendants of “wrongly and arrogantly” thought that the purpose of the commemoration was “more important than protecting the community [from pandemic]”.

#ErasingHistory #PoliticalOppression #WhiteTerror

Source: Inmediahk.net; #Dec13
https://bit.ly/3yks32U

#NobelPeacePrize Laureate Pays Tribute to #AppleDaily Founder #JimmyLai Among Other Media Workers

Source: Rappler #Dec10

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#NobelPeacePrize Laureate Pays Tribute to #AppleDaily Founder #JimmyLai Among Other Media Workers

The 2021 Nobel Peace Prize was award to #MariaRessa and #DmitryMuratov, independent journalists in the Philippines and Russia respectively, for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.

In the award ceremony on December 10, 2021, Ressa and Muratov paid tribute to all those media workers who were murdered or detain, upon receiving the Peace Prize in Oslo.

Ressa is a journalist and the CEO of Rappler, a news outlet
in the Philippines that is critical of the government. In her acceptance speech, Reesa called to attention the press freedom at stake in different parts of the word:

"I remember he brutal dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi, the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta, my friend, Luz Mely Reyes in Venezuela, Roman Protasevich in Belarus (whose plane was literally hijacked so he could be arrested), Jimmy Lai languishing in a Hong Kong prison, Sonny Swe, who after getting out of more than seven years in jail, started another news group and now is forced to flee Myanmar."

Source: Rappler #Dec10

https://www.rappler.com/world/global-affairs/full-text-maria-ressa-speech-nobel-peace-prize-awarding-ceremony-2021/

#PoliticalOppression #PressFreedom
2021 marks a sad milestone for Journalists in HK : Committee to Protect Journalists

In the Committee to Protect Journalists (#CPJ) annual report 2021, it revealed that the number of journalists jailed around the world had set another record in 2021, with #China remains the world’s worst jailer of journalists for the third year in a row, with 50 behind bars. 

As for Hong Kong, it said that 2021 "marked a sad milestone".

"For the first time journalists in the former British colony appear on CPJ’s annual survey of journalists unjustly imprisoned for their work. Eight. Zero to eight in one year."

READ FULL ARTICLE:
https://cpj.org/2021/12/hong-kongs-sad-media-milestone/

RELATED ARTICLE:
https://cpj.org/2021/12/attacks-on-the-press-in-2021/

The number of reporters jailed for their work hit a new global record of 293 in CPJ’s 2021 prison census, up from a revised total of 280 in 2020. Also so far in 2021, at least 24 journalists were killed as a result of their coverage.

#NationalSecurityLaw #FreedomOfSpeech #PressFreedom #JimmyLai #AppleDaily

Source : Committee to Protect Journalists; #Dec9

#Court
8 Pro-democracy Hongkongers jailed for 4.5 months to 14 months for inciting June 4 rallies

The Hong Kong police banned the June 4 rally in Victoria Park in 2020 on the grounds of pandemic prevention, and a number of members of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HKASPDMC; the Alliance) and pan-democrats were later charged with inciting, holding and participating in an unauthorised rally.

Among them, five pleaded guilty before the trial, while three pleaded not guilty and were convicted after the trial, and were jailed for four months and two weeks to 14 months on 13 December, 2021.

#TonyeeChow Hang-tung made her own plea, stressing that the collapse of political space struck a harder blow to Hongkongers than the epidemic, and that the court dismissed the political suppression of Hongkongers in the name of epidemic prevention.

#JimmyLai Chee-ying also wrote a letter of plea, saying, “If commemorating those who died because of injustice is a crime, then inflict on me that crime and let me suffer the punishment of this crime”.

However, Judge Amanda Jane Woodcock criticised the defendants for ignoring the risks posed by the pandemic and for their arrogance and misconception of believing that the right to assembly was more important than safeguarding public health.

Among them, Lee Cheuk-yan, Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong and Leung Yiu-chung, who committed the offences while on bail then, had their sentences were increased by three months.

Lee Cheuk-yan, who had a leading role in inciting, organising and participating in the rally, received the heaviest sentence of 14 months. For incitement and participation, Richard Tsoi, Leung Yiu-chung and Leung Kam-wai were sentenced to 12 months, 9 months and 9 months of imprisonment respectively. Wu Chi-wai was sentenced to four months and two weeks of imprisonment for his participation.

Of the three who pleaded not guilty, Jimmy Lai was sentenced to an additional three months for offences committed while on bail, totaling out to 13 months in imprisonment for incitement. Tonyee Chow was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment for incitement and participation, while Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam was sentenced to six months of imprisonment for participating.

Lee Cheuk-yan and Jimmy Lai’s sentences were to be served concurrently with the other assembly cases and no additional prison time was required, leaving the total sentence for all cases at 20 months for the time being.

Source: HK Citizens' News #Jan13

https://www.hkcnews.com/article/49003/%E9%BB%8E%E6%99%BA%E8%8B%B1-%E9%84%92%E5%B9%B8%E5%BD%A4-%E4%BD%95%E6%A1%82%E8%97%8D-49015/%E3%80%90%E7%85%BD%E6%83%91%E5%85%AD%E5%9B%9B%E9%9B%86%E6%9C%83%E6%A1%88%E3%80%918%E8%A2%AB%E5%91%8A%E5%9B%9A4%E5%80%8B%E5%8D%8A%E6%9C%88%E8%87%B314%E6%9C%88-%E5%AE%98%E6%96%A5%E8%87%AA%E5%A4%A7%E5%8F%AA%E9%87%8D%E9%9B%86%E6%9C%83%E6%AC%8A%E5%88%A9%E6%BC%A0%E8%A6%96%E7%96%AB%E6%83%85-%E9%BB%8E%E6%99%BA%E8%8B%B1%EF%BC%9A%E8%8B%A5%E6%82%BC%E5%BF%B5%E5%85%AD%E5%9B%9B%E6%98%AF%E7%BD%AA-%E5%B0%B1%E8%AE%93%E6%88%91%E8%83%8C%E8%B2%A0

#June4 #Massacre #Vigil #PoliticalProsecution