Final posts by Hong Kong Pro-democracy Barrister #ChowHangTung Before Being Arrested by National Security Police

Source: Stand News #Sept8

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Final posts by Hong Kong Pro-democracy Barrister #ChowHangTung Before Being Arrested by National Security Police

On the morning of September 8, 2021, barrister Chow Hang-Tung was arrested at her law firm's office. Chow is the co-chair of a pro-democracy organization, The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which had been the host of the annual candlelight vigil commemorating the victims of the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Massacre for 30 years.

Chow was alerted to the police's arrival. As the police made their way upstairs, she posted to her Facebook: "Regretfully, I won't make it to Gwyneth's bail hearing."

Chow, who had been representing #GwynethHo in her #HKPrimaries case, also wrote: "They could have told me earlier they're coming to get me; then I wouldn't need to stay up all night preparing for the court stuff."

"The worst part about getting arrested now, is I haven't brushed my teeth. What if my bad breath knocks out the National Security police?" She also asked her Facebook followers: "Any last words for me before I go?"

She also posted one final picture of the view from her law firm office window: "Seeing this view for the last time ..."

#PoliceState #NationalSecurityLaw #PoliticalSuppression #HongKongAlliance

Source: Stand News #Sept8

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See also:

Chow Hang-tung: Do not kneel before a life that forces you to lie and suffer humiliation

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30988

#PrisonerRights
Solitary Confinement in HK Prison: 10 Days for Hugging, 7 Days for Sharing Books; Maximum Above UN Rule

"You stay in bed all day. For seven days straight. You can only go to the toilet, and it's right next to the bed."

Stand News interviewed four former prisoners who had faced solitary confinement in Hong Kong's prisons. In their experience, this punishment was handed out often, and the experience is long and painful. As sleeping pills are not permitted in prisons, they could only take painkillers to help themselves sleep.

In July, news broke that pro-democracy district councilor #TiffanyYuen had endured 10 days of solitary confinement as punishment for hugging a fellow prisoner. Lawyer and chairperson of Hong Kong Alliance #ChowHangTung, who was also in prison at the time, also faced the same punishment for 3 days for sharing postage stamps with other inmates. Others had been penalized for 7 days for exchanging books and photographs, or 3 days for sharing chocolate.

What is the metric for such punishments? According to Correctional Services' response to Stand News: "Any prisoner who commit offenses against prison discipline as described under clause 61 of the Prison Rules [1] will be prosecuted by the Services according to the rules. If a disciplinary hearing determines that the prisoner have violated the rules, then the Services will impose punishments according to clause 63 of the Prison Rules. If the prisoner disagrees with the ruling, they may appeal it according to established procedures."

The prison rules of Hong Kong sets an upper limit for solitary confinement at 28 days. However, according to the United Nations' "Nelson Mandela Rules" - adopted in 2015 and named in honor of the former president of South Africa and activist for human rights, equality, democracy, and peace - prisons should prohibit solitary confinement longer than 15 days.

Furthermore, the UN Committee Against Torture had published a report in 2016, in which the committee expressed concern with the maximum length of solitary confinement in Hong Kong prisons. It also called to attention the rule of "removal from association" - forbidding prisoners from associating with others on vague grounds such as "for the maintenance of good order or discipline or in the interests of a prisoner".

Though the report made several recommendations to Hong Kong for clarifying the rules and bringing the limits of punishments to be closer to the Nelson Mandela Rules, prisoners released this year still reports that solitary confinement remains a common punishment. According to data from Correctional Services, there were 3181 instances of solitary confinement handed out among 14689 prisoners in 2019. This number had been above 3000 every year since 2016.

The Correctional Services did not comment when asked if it had implemented the UN committee's suggestions, and if it would reduce or abolish solitary confinement as a punishment.

[1] Cap. 234A Prison Rules: https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap234A!en-zh-Hant-HK?xpid=ID_1438402870147_001&INDEX_CS=N

#HumanRights #PoliceState

Source: Stand News; #Sept2
https://www.thestandnews.com/society/%E5%9B%9A%E6%AC%8A%E6%B0%B4%E9%A3%AF%E6%88%BF%E7%9B%B8%E6%93%81%E5%9B%9A%E4%B8%83%E6%97%A5-%E6%8F%9B%E6%9B%B8%E5%9B%B0%E5%8D%81%E5%A4%A9-%E7%8D%A8%E5%9B%9A%E6%9C%80%E9%95%B728%E6%97%A5-%E8%B6%85%E5%87%BA%E8%81%AF%E5%90%88%E5%9C%8B%E8%A6%8F%E5%89%87

The 1st Day of Tonyee Chow Hang-tung's Detention due to Inciting Subversion.
Her Family: Her mind is calm and undaunted

Source: Stand News #Sep11
#TonyeeChow #ChowHangTung #NationalSecurityLaw #IncitingSubversion

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The 1st Day of Tonyee Chow Hang-tung's Detention due to Inciting Subversion.
Her Family: Her mind is calm and undaunted

Tonyee Chow Hang-Tung, the vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance, was rejected for bail due to the suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power".

Sept 11, 2021 is the first day of her detention. The "Tonyee Chow Pages" on Facebook published a post saying that her family had already visited her. According to her family, Tonyee was in a good spirit with quick reaction, showing that her sleeping quality was better and her mood was calmer than usual. During the visit, Tonyee expressed herself with her favourite poem, "Lime Chanting" written by a Ming Dynasty loyal minister.

The Department of Justice formally prosecuted the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance Lee Cheuk-Yan, Vice-Chairpersons Albert Ho Chun-Yan and Tonyee Chow Hang-Tung with "Inciting Subversion of State Power". The case was brought to the West Kowloon Magistrates' court on Sept 10, during which Chow was asked whether she understood the charge and she replied, "Understood, but it is a ridiculous accusation". She made a bail statement for herself but the bail was denied by Peter Law, the Acting Chief Magistrate and the judge for national security law. The case will be continued on Oct 28, 2021.

Source: Stand News #Sep11

#TonyeeChow #ChowHangTung #HKAlliance #HoChunYan #LeeCheukYan #WestKowloon #MagistratesCourt #NationalSecurityLaw #IncitingSubversion

June 4th Vigil Organizer Disbanded after 32 Years

After a special meeting on September 25, 2021, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China passed a motion to dissolve. The voting took place at the now-shut-down June 4th Museum. 41 votes agreed to its disbandment while 4 votes said no.

The 32-year-old pro-democracy organization is known for holding the annual June 4th Tiananmen Massacre candlelight vigil in Hong Kong's Victoria Park. Its co-directors and core members have been arrested and detained by the police on charges of "state subversion".

When in custody, Barrister #ChowHangTung, the vice-president of the group, had urged the members of the Alliance to not disband the group, in order to stand up against the terror disseminated by the regime.

Since the forced enactment of the National Security Law in Hong Kong in 2020, at least 49 civic organizations in Hong Kong has disbanded.

Source: Stand News #Sept25

https://fb.watch/8ez2f4L73b

https://thestandnews.page.link/sTg5u3q6R8Df2Mt5A

#PoliticalPersecution #Disband #June4 #Vigil #Regime

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Final posts by Hong Kong Pro-democracy Barrister #ChowHangTung Before Being Arrested by National Security Police
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31042

HK National Security Police Accuses Veteran Pro-democracy NGO as "Agent of Foreign Power"
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30884

#Perseverence
Arrested Pro-democracy Activist #ChowHangTung opposes Hong Kong Alliance’s disbandment: "I would choose not to lose, not to forget, not to give up, and to persevere until the last moment.”

Source: Stand News #Sept23

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#Perseverence
Arrested Pro-democracy Activist #ChowHangTung opposes Hong Kong Alliance’s disbandment: "I would choose not to lose, not to forget, not to give up, and to persevere until the last moment.”

Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho Chun-yan, chairman and former vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, who are currently detained, issued a joint open letter on September 17, 2021, stating that the best solution for the pro-democracy Alliance is to disband.

[Editor's note: After a special meeting on September 25, 2021, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China passed a motion to dissolve.

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31135]

The Alliance had been the organizer of the annual June 4 Tiananmen Massacre Candlelight Vigil in Hong Kong's #VictoriaPark since 1990.

On September 23, 2021, an "Open Letter from Chow Hang-Tung to Hong Kong Alliance (before and after)" was published on Chow's personal Facebook page, stating that she cannot see the act of disbanding any help in continuing the Alliance's philosophy.

"Please oppose the dissolution motion and give the Alliance a chance to continue," Chow expressed despite being arrested and detained.

Chow, a barrister by profession, also pointed out, "The regime has chosen to annihilate us all, so we have to choose whether to persist until the end or to bail out before it’s too late. On this choice, I would choose not to lose, not to forget, not to give up, and to persevere until the last moment.”

Source: Stand News #Sept23
https://thestandnews.page.link/bEjeeCGyLUq7i5Zt8

#TonyeeChow #Disband #HKASPDMC #Alliance #NationalSecurityLaw #Unafraid #OpenLetter #Courage

#TonyeeChow #Court
Hong Kong Judge Questions Arrested Pro-democracy Barrister: Can You Access Internet in Jail?

Barrister Tonyee Chow Hang-tung is a pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong and the former Vice Chairperson of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The now-disbanded Alliance was known for organizing the annual June 4 vigil in Hong Kong to commemorate the victims of the Tianamen Square Massacre in Beijing in 1989.

She was arrested for state subversion by the Hong Kong authority.

The authority accused her of calling on citizens to participate in June 4th commemorative event in 2020, which was banned by the government. Chow was charged with "inciting others to participate in an unauthorised assembly".

The case was heard in Hong Kong's West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts by Judge Chan Wai-mun on October 5, 2021.

Chow, who has been detained since her arrest, stated that she would defend herself and make her own statement. She will argue whether it is constitutional to restrict the dispute to freedom and whether the related article she disseminsted can ce considered as an "incitement".

Due to the limited resources she has when on remand, Chow asked for one to two weeks' time for preparation.

The Judge then questioned her, “Where did you find the law books in jail? Can you access Internet?” The query made citizens attending the session laughed.

Chow responded that she would rely on her professional knowledge of law and seek help from friends.

Source: Stand News #Oct5
https://bit.ly/2ZXtBCZ

#June4 #HKASPDMC #Vigil #TiananmenSquareMassacre #Internet #ChowHangTung #CivilSociety #Law #Alliance

#Court #RulebyLaw
Catch-22: Authority Rejects Reference Books Sent to Activist Lawyer Detained for Subversion, Due to Content about Subversion

Tonyee #ChowHangTung, the former vice-chairperson of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (#HKASPDMC), is in detention on charges of inciting subversion of state power. A lawyer by trade, she intends to represent herself in her upcoming trial, and is preparing her own defense while in custody.

In an article on her Patreon published on October 23, she mentioned that her relatives and friends recently tried to send books about the late activist Szeto Wah and the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989, but the Hong Kong Correctional Services (#HKCS) rejected them.

(Editor's note: Szeto Wah was the founder of the Hong Kong Alliance (#HKA) and was one of the most influential activists in Hong Kong who worked for decades to establish, preserve and protect Hong Kong people's democratic institutions, freedom and human rights.)

One of the books, she quoted an HKCS staff, "mentions behaviours of subverting state power". The decision could not be appealed, the staff added.

Chow questions whether the HKCS had assumed the role of the judge, making a fair trial impossible. The books are reference materials for her to prepare for her own defense in the trial, she said.

"If I can't have access to information about the Alliance and the June 4th incident, I would have no chance to find evidence to refute these accusations."

The Correctional Services have set up a perfect catch-22, she said of the arrangement. "This would guarantee the prosecution a win."

Source: Stand News #Oct23
https://thestandnews.page.link/Xwr8mUcpXtD6Q2MGA

#TonyeeChow #NSL #PrisonerRights #HongKongAlliance #HKASPDMC #June4th #TiananmenMassacre #SzetoWah

#Court #PoliticalOppression
"It was Conscience that Drove Hongkongers for 32 years to Mourn June 4th": Tonyee Chow Defends Herself in Court Against June 4 Unlawful Assembly Charge

Tonyee #ChowHangTung, former Vice-Chairperson of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (#HKASPDMC), was accused of promoting and calling on others to participate in the June 4 rally, and had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge of inciting others to participate in an unauthorized assembly. The case was resumed in the West Kowloon Magistrates Court on Oct 25th.

Tonyee, who is herself a barrister, represented herself in court. She mentioned that all the cases brought against her are related to the Alliance and June 4th. The authorities are piling on these charges, showing that the regime is attempting to suppress and eliminate the memory of June 4th step by step.

She reiterated that after the police banned the rally this year, the Alliance had publicly announced that it would not hold a candlelight rally in Victoria Park. She has since written articles and taken interviews, in which she had simply appealed to the public to overcome their fears and continue to mourn June 4 through personal actions. She questioned how a call for action with no specified location could incite an unauthorized assembly, saying that the regime "might as well admit directly that what is forbidden is the June 4 memorial itself".

Tonyee stressed that it was not anyone's incitement that drove the people of Hong Kong to mourn June 4th for 32 years; rather, it was every person's conscience. "If the court wants to use the word 'incite', it ought to say that it was the people of Hong Kong who had incited me to do this."

And if she were to be punished for it, she would have no regrets, she said.

Source: Stand News; #Oct25
Full account of Tonyee's defense speech (in Chinese) : https://thestandnews.page.link/o3zrFQwM34J6m8ky9

#June4 #HongKong #Democracy #Protest #Court

“All about the Rule of Law, No Politics” The Seven-Step Checkmate on Protests - Myths of the Rule of Law and Controversy on Judicial Protests in Hong Kong

Translated by the Guardians of Hong Kong - Sept 5, 2021September 07, 2021

"I was really surprised to hear someone say today that the government should be careful not to weaponize the National Security Law (NSL). The NSL is a legal provision that protects national security and the security of Hong Kong. To a certain extent, it can be said to be a weapon of the rule of law itself, punishing those who commit crimes.” - Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong Kong on 8 August 2020

Read our fully translated article here:
https://telegra.ph/All-about-the-Rule-of-Law-No-Politics-The-Seven-Step-Checkmate-on-Protests---Myths-of-the-Rule-of-Law-and-Controversy-on-Judicia-09-07

Source: The Stand News #Jul01

#NSL #ChowHangTung #RuleOfLaw #CCP #Judiciary #Law #LegalProcess #PocketCrime #PRCLaw

https://bit.ly/3tmTpTO

#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

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
#ChowHangTung References #TiananmenMassacre Against Accusations by Hong Kong Authorities

Source: Ming Pao; InMedia; RTHK #Jan4

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31821

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
#ChowHangTung References #TiananmenMassacre Against Accusations by Hong Kong Authorities

On January 4, 2022, Hong Kong court found Barrister Chow Hang-tung, chairperson of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, guilty of "inciting others to join an unauthorized assembly" in 2020 — being the annual June 4th vigil in Victoria Park. The Alliance has been the organizer of the annual candlelight vigil in Hong Kong in commemoration of the victims of the June 4 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing since 1989.

West Kowloon Magistrate Amy Chan made the ruling according to a newspaper article and two social media posts published by Chow. Chow was sentenced to 15 months in jail. In addition to the sentence for another June 4 case, Chow will be jailed for 22 months in total.

As Chow defended herself, her speech won applause from the attendees of the court session.

Chow pointed out how commemorating June 4 was turned from the "bottomline of conscience" to a "dangerous red line". Following the removal https://bit.ly/3zoJArf June 4 related monuments and the closure of Stand News and Citizen News, this left no room to publicly talk about the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Massacre. Nevertheless, Chow said that she believes in the power of words, "Words have life which cannot be determined by the authorities nor the court." Chow said she would continue to speak up, regardless of the sentence.

In her conclusive statement, Chow cited the testimonies of the families of the Tiananmen Massacre and recounted how military tanks ran over civilians and pro-democracy protesters on the streets of Beijing in 1989. The judge interrupted Chow, questioning the relevance to the case. Chow said the victims of the Tiananmen Massacre are the victims of the case, "their voices should be heard in court more than mine."

The attendees of the court session applaused, while the judge ordered the police to "mark down their names and ID card numbers."

Chow concluded, "those who should plead for forgiveness are those executioners who destroyed families and those who called the Pillar of Shame ugly." Chow said she will preserve the candle of June 4 and bear the consequence of white terror.

Source: Ming Pao; InMedia; RTHK #Jan4
#Conscience #Perseverance #NeverGiveUp #Resistance #June4 #Alliance

#ChowHangTung‘s fiancé writes open letter: “When winter is here, spring is not too far away”

Source: InmediaHK.net #Jan5

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https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31830

#ChowHangTung‘s fiancé writes open letter: “When winter is here, spring is not too far away”

On January 4, 2022, Hong Kong court sentenced Barrister Chow Hang-tung, chairperson of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, to 15 months in jail for “inciting others to join an unauthorized assembly” in 2020. Said assembly was the annual June 4th vigil held every year since 1989 in Victoria Park, Hong Kong in commemoration of the victims of the June 4 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing.

Yedu, Chow's fiancee and human rights activist in China, wrote a letter to Chow a few days prior to the court's ruling. The letter was slated to be released by Citizens News, but the news outlet was shut down on January 4, 2022. The letter was at last made public on Facebook.

In the letter, Yedu said a heavy sentence was expected and that rule of law has fallen in Hong Kong. Yedu wrote the letter when former and current management members of Stand News was arrested. "This is the beginning of a long winter," Yedu wrote.

"When winter is here, spring is not too far away,” Yedu also wrote.

Freedom is fragile. According to Yedu, freedom can be “trampled by the regime in a short time,” even that “the right to mourn would be silenced”. A regime does not need citizen, only subjects.

However, seeing how Hongkongers sent letters to Chow and showed support inside and outside of the court, Yedu said, “I can see that people's hearts are not dead yet.”

At last, Yedu cited the lyrics of “Flower of Freedom,” a song dedicated to the pro-democracy protesters who were wounded by or died of the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing:

"However heavy the rain is, the flower of freedom will still bloom.”

On the same day, Chow's personal page was updated with the statement she gave in court on January 4, 2022:

"The only way to defend the freedom of speech is to keep talking."

Source: InmediaHK #Jan5

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
#Resistance #Yedu #Alliance #NeverGiveUp

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Related News

Chow Hang Tung References #TiananmenMassacre Against Accusations by Hong Kong Authorities
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31821

#Crackdown
IPAC : It is absurd that mere applause during a court case can be construed as a seditious act

#NationalSecurityLaw #CCP #June4 #ChowHangTung

Source: The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China; #Apr6
Image source: RFA; #Apr8

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#Crackdown
IPAC : It is absurd that mere applause during a court case can be construed as a seditious act

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (#IPAC) condemns the arrest of 6 individuals on suspicion of seditious intention to incite hatred, contempt or rebellion against the administration of justice in Hong Kong after applauding during the trial of Chow Hang-tung’s June Fourth memorial incitement case in early 2022. 

The individuals arrested include the vice-chairman of the now disbanded Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (#HKCTU), Leo Tang, and citizen journalist Siew Yun-Long (Siu Wan).

The sedition charges were made under Sections 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance – colonial era laws that have been criticised by the UN Human Rights Committee and frequently used by the Hong Kong authorities to crack down on legitimate protest.

The other individuals arrested were citizen observers at the courts who frequently witness political cases. 

"Not only are these charges wrong and to be condemned, but they also demonstrate how far the rule of law has deteriorated in Hong Kong," IPAC said in its statement.

IPAC also calls on governments to hold the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to account for these abuses and appeals for all overseas judges to withdraw from serving on Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal in this further undermining of the independence and integrity of Hong Kong’s legal system.

Read IAPC statement :
https://ipac.global/statement-on-the-arrest-of-journalists-trade-unionists-and-other-citizen-court-obervers-in-hong-kong/

#NationalSecurityLaw #CCP #June4 #ChowHangTung

Source: The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China; #Apr6
Image source: RFA; #Apr8

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Related article:
Hong Kong #NationalSecurityPolice arrest 6 under sedition law over ‘causing nuisance’ during court hearings
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32529
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