#PoliticalOppression #MassArrest
Arrested Pro-Democracy Figures tell Hongkongers: "Hang in there", "Be a Human, be yourself"

On Sunday, Feb 28, 2021, in Hong Kong, Tsuen Wan district councillor #RoyTam Hoi-pong of Neo-democrat and former lawmaker #WanSiuKin of Democractic Party reported to the Tsuen Wan Police Station in the afternoon, as instructed by the Hong Kong Police 2 days ago.

They are among the 55 pro-democracy activists who were arrested on Jan 5, 2021 on suspicion of "subverting state powers" and violating the #NationalSecurityLaw.

As the group was ordered to report to the police over 1 month ahead of the scheduled date, many had prepared for the worst. It was proven to be the case, as on the afternoon of Feb 28, the Hong Kong police announced charging 47 pro-democracy figures with "conspiracy to subverting state powers", and that they would be detained overnight before sending them to court the next day.

Before walking into the Tsuen Wan Police Station to face whatever plans the authorities have for them, Roy Tam, who came hand in hand with his wife, hugged his friends and families. He told the media that he would "face it with a calm spirit". Tam raised his fists high and said, "Hongkongers, hang in there!"

Wan Siu-kin arrived moments later. He said he was not surprised, as arbitrary arrests are nothing new in Hong Kong. A former lawmaker himself, he firmly believed that he did not violate the #NationalSecurityLaw, nor the Hong Kong's Basic Law. He told his friends that he is not afraid and will embrace the challenges. He hopes all the pro-democracy figures arrested would show the same fighting spirit.

Wan added, "To be frank, I don't know what to tell you, if you ask me for methods to resist against the authoritarian regime. But there is one thing you can do: Be a human-being, be yourself."

When asked to comment on Beijing's reported plan to amend Hong Kong's electoral system, Wan said, "I cannot comprehend the logic of the authoritarian regime, and do not want to."

Wan emphasized that the crux of the problem is the erosion of the social, economic, and political structure of the city. He concluded that the "#OneCountryTwoSystems" policy should be genuinely practiced, but "not by way of any twisted interpretation".

Source: InMedia #Feb28

#PoliceState #Authoritarianism

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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

#PoliticalOppression
Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit: Hope the world knows HongKongers are the glory of Hong Kong

Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit said he once understood the differences between abiding and breaking the law. However, the world has inverted black and white. Even under the authorities' suppression, he still believes that the Hong Kong government cannot detain all freedom fighters. Also, he always believes Hongkongers who had participated in the 2 million march persisted in their belief. He described, "Today is to temper our willpower." He hopes the world can see it and "Hongkongers are the glory of Hong Kong."

Jimmy Sham also apologised to Helena Wong Pik-wan, stating he feels sorry for The Democratic Party, and they hugged each other outside the police station.

Source: InMedia HK #Feb28
#MassArrest #Regime #Authoritarianism #PoliceState #PoliticalPersecution #JimmySham

#Suppression #WhiteTerror
The 7th University in Hong Kong ceases recognition of its Students’ Union

#StudentsUnion #Authoritarianism #Censorship #Education

Source: inmediahk; #Jan20
https://bit.ly/3FJOnoP

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32097

#Suppression #WhiteTerror
The 7th University in Hong Kong ceases recognition of its Students’ Union

In an internal email sent to students and faculty members on January 20, 2022, the Education University of Hong Kong (#EdUHK) criticized governance of the student union, saying that the Union has been operating under a ‘provisional’ body for the past four consecutive years, without proper mandate and therefore lack of student representation.

The university said it will stop offering support to the union, including the collection of membership fees, providing network accounts and services, and offering IT support. Additionally, the student union will lose access to its office space and the right to book and use campus facilities and venues.

The union’s HK$9 million reserve will also be “kept under the custody” of the university’s Finance Office.

In just one year, seven of eight universities in Hong Kong has cut ties with their students’ union, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK), the University of Hong Kong (#HKU), the City University of Hong Kong (#CityU), the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong (#PolyU), the Baptist University of Hong Kong (#BUHK) and the Lingnan University of Hong Kong (#LingnanU).

#StudentsUnion #Authoritarianism #Censorship #Education

Source: inmediahk; #Jan20
https://bit.ly/3FJOnoP

=====
Related Articles

University in Hong Kong demands #StudentUnion to hand over 17 years of audit reports in 2 weeks
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32072

5 Universities in Hong Kong Crackdown on Students' Unions
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30534

Editorial Committee of Hong Kong Baptist University's Students' Union resigns en masse due to #Censorship
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32063

Executive Committee of UCSU CUHK Dissolves
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31261

#CarrrieLam Insists Actions Against HKU Students; University Management Deregisters Students' Union
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30489
.

#Satire #SurveillanceState
Down with the live-with-COVID believers

#Omicron #FailedState #CCP #Authoritarianism

image source: Ar To

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️

#Satire #SurveillanceState
Down with the live-with-COVID believers

Above four-panel-cartoon is created by a popular artist in Hong Kong, Ar To. The cartoonist attempts to bring out real intention behind the COVID-control measures purposefully imposed in the city in the face of Omicron outbreak.

Inscriptions from upper right panel:
"So it's come to this ..."
"We've got to live with the vir-"
"..."
"We've got to live with surveillance!"

Hong Kong is reeling under an outbreak of Omicron infections, recording nearly 7,000 cases in a day on February 20, straining hospitals and testing centers to their limits.

An opinion poll taken last month -- at the beginning of the current outbreak -- shows that nearly two-thirds of citizens are receptive of a "live with the virus" approach similar to other countries such as the UK.

The Hong Kong government, however, had taken this outbreak as an opportunity to tighten gathering restrictions, enforce mandatory use of its controversial #LeaveHomeSafe tracking app, and carry out sudden, community-wide lockdowns and mandatory testing that last for days. As China is growing more concerned with Hong Kong's seeming inability to contain the outbreak, Carrie Lam and her government may be hard pressed into enacting more Orwellian surveillance measures in order to satisfy Beijing's demands for "dynamic zero covid" -- whatever that now means.

image source: Ar To
https://www.facebook.com/100044541035098/posts/513031630191534/

See also;
New York Times: Hong Kong Can’t Live With the Virus. It Can’t Stop It, Either.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/world/asia/hong-kong-covid-omicron-wave.html

#Omicron #FailedState #CCP #Authoritarianism

#Oppression #Authoritarianism
Hong Kong University forces boarding students to leave dormitories and stops them from protesting

Source: inmediahk; #Feb11

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️

#Oppression #Authoritarianism
Hong Kong University forces boarding students to leave dormitories and stops them from protesting

Claiming pandemic-control, at least five tertiary institutions in Hong Kong told dormitory residents to return home.

On February 10, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) told occupants of its student residences to leave in two days’ time by February 12 – 13.

Polytechnic University (#PolyU), Baptist University and City University (#CityU) said they also had plans to “encourage” residents to leave.

The university’s decision has caught many students in surprises, putting them through unnecessary disturbances and therefore, elicited resentment.

In just a few hours after #CUHK’s announcement, over 500 students of the university joined a discussion group on social media, calling to protest the school’s arrangement.

Although these students reiterated that their actions would remain peaceful and they would only attempt to hand in petition letter to the university, the university reacted fervently with tens of uniformed security officers stationed visible at where the students gathered.

The security guards were seen pointing video cameras at protesting students and shouting through loudspeakers for students to leave the site or they might risk violating the COVID-19 gathering restrictions.

Source: inmediahk; #Feb11
https://bit.ly/3BcsRbI

#Authoritarianism #FailedState
HK Cheif Executive refuses to wear face covering in press briefing while tightening COVID control measures

In a press briefing on mid-February, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, insisted on not wearing a #mask during her press conference.

When reporters again asked why she wasn't wearing a face covering, she taunted that reporters should let go of this matter, and focus on COVID-control measures.

On another press conference last month, Lam had explained that she had gone mask-less because "people need to understand and feel my feeling".

#COVIDControlMeasure

Source: Inmediahk; #Feb15
https://bit.ly/3szjFu0

#FirstHand #Jun30
Hong Kong Authorities Seal Off Wanchai North to 'welcome' Xi Jinping

Since June 29, 2022, Hong Kong police sealed off a large area completely including car ways and pavements in Wanchai North, to prepare for the arrival of the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP) leader #XiJinPing. From the midnight of June 30, the Exhibition and Convention Center station will also be closed.

On July 1, Xi will be present at the Exhibition and Convention Center to observe the ceremony celebrating the establishment day of the Hong Kong SAR and the officiation of the new Chief Executive.

On the eve of July 1, Hong Kong police sent in the anti-terrorism squad to patrol the area in their new uniform. Police dogs were also deployed. Reporters on the flyover were stopped and searched for 4 times.

During Xi's visit to Hong Kong, the metro will not stop at the
Exhibition and Convention Center station until 2pm on July 1. Buses will also be rerouted.

It was reported that some pro-democracy groups like the League of Social Democrats were warned by the authorities of the consequence of carrying out protests on the day.

#PoliceState #FailedState #Authoritarianism #Suppression #Handover

#NationalSecurityPolice in Hong Kong Demands Pro-democracy Groups to Cancel Protest on #HandoverAnniversary

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the handover, chairperson Chan Po-ying, of the pro-democracy group League of Social Democrats (#LSD), released a statement. She said some volunteers working for thr group were visited by the national security police. The friends of these volunteers have also become the target of the police. After evaluating the situation, the group decide not to pursue any protest on the day.

Meanwhile, #AveryNg, a core member of the grouo who was recently released from the prison, was reportedly under the police surveilance. Ng posted the sentence "I'm in prison, if you know what I mean" on his social media page. Many associated the incident to how the Chinese police surveyed and monitored dissidents like Lu Xia before important days.

This time in Hong Konh Ng commented on his own post by saying, "I'm not being detained" and "I will be happy in the 'prison'."

Source: Mingpao; whatsapp news #Jube29

https://link.mingpao.com/74403.htm

https://www.whatsnewsmedia.com/9685/22/50/22/

#PoliceState #FailedState #Authoritarianism #Suppression #Handover

#today2yearsago
Two Year-mark of #NationalSecurityLaw and 25th Anniversary of the #TransferOfSovereignty: 126 People Charged, 83 in Detention and 63 Involved in Literary Inquisition

Two years ago on July 1, 2020, the National Security Law imposed by Beijing without passing through Hong Kong's legislature was enforced in the city. Authorties in Hong Kong and China claimed that the criminalisation of speech would not happen and the law would "only affect a small number of people". They also claimed that the rights and freedom of Hong Kong people will not be affected.

As of June 29, 2022, however, at least 198 people have been arrested for "violating national security" in the past two years. Among them 126 people and 5 companies — including #AppleDaily, #StandNews and the #Alliance — were prosecuted. 83 of them have been taken into custody and more than half have been detained for more than one year. The longest period of detention is 660 days and is still counting.

Among these cases, almost the entire pro-democracy camp has been "locked up" due to the primary election. Pro-democracy and independent news outlet like Apple Daily and Stand News were shut down; meanwhile, court procedures are progressing very slowly.

This marks the 25 years since the #1997TransferOfSovereignty of Hong Kong to China.

Source: InMedia #Jun30
https://bit.ly/3HZ9Vk9

[Editor’s Note: Compared to the commonly used term “handover”, the term “Transfer of Sovereignty of Hong Kong to China” conveys aptly the complexity of multi-sided perspectives that is the “handover”, and shows as much neutrality regarding the issue at the whole. Feel free to check out BBC Chinese’s article:
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-40441492 ]

#WhiteTerror #SpeechCrime #NSL #Authoritarianism #PoliceState

#SurveillanceState
HK Authorities Propose Real Name Registration and #HealthCode System like China's

Hong Kong's Secretary for Heath #LoChungMau said on July 11, 2022 that the government had plans to introduce a three-colour ‘health code’ system in the city, bringing the app in line with China's system.

It would be an additional function to #LeaveHomeSafe, the government's COVID contact-tracing app. Lo mentioned that reference was sought from the health code systems used China. He also claimed that it was important to implement real name registration.

[Editor's note: Since the LeaveHomeSafe app has been made compulsory by the authorities in Hong Kong, many citizens expressed concerns over its privacy issues. The health code system in China has been long regarded as a #MassSurveillance campaign of the #ChineseCommunistParty government.]

Source: InMediaHK.net #Jul11
https://bit.ly/3aqHE9C

see also:
LeaveHomeSafe app has built-in facial detection module, Hong Kong government admits
https://t.me/BeWaterHK/478

Down with the live-with-COVID believers (Satire)
https://t.me/BeWaterHK/148

#PrivacyBreach #Freedom #Authoritarianism

#MyanmarJunta executes leading democracy activists

//Myanmar's military junta executed two prominent pro-democracy activists and two other men accused of terrorism, state media reported Monday, following a trial condemned by the #UN and rights groups.

Veteran democracy activist #KyawMinYu, better known as #KoJimmy, and former #NationalLeagueforDemocracy lawmaker #PhyoZayarThaw were executed, along with #HlaMyoAung and #AungThuraZaw, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported, without giving a date.

Their deaths mark the first judicial executions in the country in decades, andhuman rights groups fear more will follow. According to #HumanRightsWatch, 114 people have been sentenced to death in Myanmar since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021.//

Read the full article:
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/24/asia/myanmar-executions-pro-democracy-figures-intl-hnk/index.html

Source: CNN #Jul24

#DeathSentence #Authoritarianism #Tyranny #PoliticalProsecution #StandWithMyanmar

#China uses #coronavirus warning app to stifle #dissent

//China's #COVID19 warning app enables health authorities to move quickly against a virus outbreak. But it seems officials also use the app to stop perfectly healthy people from doing what Beijing doesn't want them to do. And the target is dissidents.//

Watch the video:
https://www.dw.com/en/china-uses-coronavirus-warning-app-to-stifle-dissent/av-62501253

Source: DW #Jul17

#HealthCode #MassSurveillance #Beijing #Authoritarianism

#HongKong Bashes #GlobalMedia With Hundreds of Complaint Letters

//From Slovakia to Japan, top Hong Kong officials have fired off at least 500 letters in 2022 blasting critical foreign media coverage, as the city wages a global battle to safeguard its reputation as a liberal financial hub.

At least 174 media outlets in almost 30 countries received missives from city leaders -- including its now chief executive, #JohnLee -- since China announced in May 2020 that it would impose a national security law on the former British colony. The correspondence, often written both in English and the publication’s native language, was uploaded to the “Clarifications” tab of the government’s communications platform known as Brand Hong Kong.

About half of the letters, which responded to a mix of reports and editorials, hit back at criticism of Beijing’s sweeping security law, while roughly a third defended a mandate that only Communist Party loyalists can hold office in the city. Neighboring Asian nations got 42% of the complaints, led by Japan and South Korea, while business publications including the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Economist got the most letters. Bloomberg received seven...

Hong Kong’s crackdown on freedoms has eroded the city’s reputation among many foreign governments...

Hong Kong’s press freedom ranking has plummeted since the security law clamped down on free speech. The city came 148 in the Reporters Without Borders 2022 World Press Freedom Index, representing a fall of 68 places from last year.//

Source: Bloomberg #Jul25
https://t.co/OHZN4fVjye

#Whitewash #Censorship #PressFreedom #NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #Authoritarianism