#PoliticalPrisoners #PoliceState
Hong Kong #Court Jails Heavyweight Pro-Democracy Figures: 14 months for Jimmy Lai and 18 months for 'Long Hair'

On April 16, 2021, Hong Kong court jailed some heavy-weight pro-democracy figures for "organising and participating in unauthorized assembly" during the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (#AntiELAB) Movement in 2019.

August 18, 2019 marks one of the largest protests during the movement where pro-democracy Hongkongers walked peacefully in the heavy rain from Victoria Park to Central to express their voice.

The following are the jail terms announced by the distrct judge Amanda Woodcock :

#Longhair #Leung KwokHung: 18 months (the longest term)

#AppleDaily founder #JimmyLai: 14 months (*combinig with another case involving a protest on August 31, 2019)

Former lawmaker #LeeCheukYan: 14 months
(*combinig with another case involving a protest on August 31, 2019)

Former lawmaker #AuNokHin: 10 months

Former lawmaker #CydHo: 8 months.

Former lawmakers #MartinLee,
#MargaretNg, #AlbertHo and #YeungSum: suspended jail terms

Source: Stand News #Apr16
Photo: Nasha Chan

https://bit.ly/3tuIDKs

https://bit.ly/3dnoxMn

https://bit.ly/3e9lgiS

#HKProtests #PoliticalSuppression #JailTerm

#Separation #Hongkongers
On #MothersDay, Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Activists, remanded or exiled, Pay Homage to Their Mothers

Usually on Mother’s Day, many families would go out and celebrate. However, some are less fortunate this year in Hong Kong.

On May 9, 2021, exiled former #Demosisto leader #NathanLaw posted a photo with his mother on Facebook. He said this festival reminds him of the many pro-democracy protestors who became separated from their families. “Only until justice is done can family warmth return.”

Nathan Law recalled, “no matter how busy I am, on Mother's Day, I can always let go of my work and sit before a dinner table with my family.”

He admitted he saw festivals as an excuse to step away from work, but this year he thought of all the protestors who were forced into leaving their own families due to political oppression.

“For everyone who is remanded, imprisoned, or exiled, there is always a mother at home waiting for their return, waiting for days, for months, for years.”

He hoped there can be a new meaning for Mother’s Day. “Please remember those behind bars and oceans apart.”

The facebook page of democrat #TakchiTam, who is remanded on National Security charges, also posted a video that was recorded earlier of him singing the song “Mother, I did no wrong.”

In the video, he said the festival also reminded him of all the young men and women exiled or imprisoned due to the movement. However, he believed when people are united in their pursuit of justice and truth, a new family will be forged.

[Editor's note: “Mother, I have done no wrong” is a song written in remembrance of the 1989 June Fourth Massacre in Beijing. The title is a reference to a famous banner raised by the pro-democracy students who went on hunger strike in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

The lyrics sing:

“We want no one to define right or wrong.

We want no one to convict others at will."]

Source: Stand News #May9

https://www.thestandnews.com/society/a-%E4%B8%8D%E4%B8%80%E6%A8%A3%E7%9A%84%E6%AF%8D%E8%A6%AA%E7%AF%80-%E6%B5%81%E4%BA%A1%E7%BE%85%E5%86%A0%E8%81%B0%E4%B8%8A%E8%BC%89%E8%88%87%E6%AF%8D%E8%A6%AA%E5%90%88%E7%85%A7-%E5%85%AC%E7%BE%A9%E5%BD%B0%E9%A1%AF%E6%89%8D%E5%8F%AF%E6%9C%89%E5%AE%B6%E5%BA%AD%E6%BA%AB%E6%9A%96-%E5%BF%AB%E5%BF%85%E8%87%AA%E5%BD%88%E8%87%AA%E5%94%B1-%E5%AA%BD%E5%AA%BD%E6%88%91%E6%B2%92%E6%9C%89%E9%81%8E%E9%8C%AF/

#JuneFourth #Mothers #Exile #PoliticalSuppression #PoliticalPrisoners

#Court #PoliticalPrisoners
10 veteran pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong plead guilty over 'National Mourning Day' Protest in 2019; 'Long Hair' Appears in Court with Short Hair

Source: InMedia #May17

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️

#Court #PoliticalPrisoners
10 veteran pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong plead guilty over 'National Mourning Day' Protest in 2019; 'Long Hair' Appears in Court with Short Hair

In Hong Kong court on May 17, 2021, ten heavy-weight pro-democracy activists pleaded guilty to "organising an unauthorised protest" on October 1, 2019.

They are former legislators 'long hair' #LeungKwokHung, #AlbertHo, #LeeCheukYan, #YeungSum, #CydHo and #SinChungKai; #AppleDaily founder #JimmyLai; and activists #FigoChan, #AveryNg and #RichardTsoi. That day marked the 'National Mourning Day' protest on the establishment day of the PRC during the Anti-ELAB movement

Among the defendants, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front (#CHRF) Figo Chan, 'long hair' Leung Kwok-hung, Albert Ho, and Lee Cheuk-yan also pleaded guilty to "inciting" others on September 30, 2019 to take part in the protest.

When '#LongHair' Leung Kwok-hung appeared in court on May 17, 2021, his signature long hair has been cut short. Leung is currently serving his sentence in Stanley Prison for organizing and participating in an 'unauthorized' assembly on August 18, 2019.

The last time he was seen in short hair was in 2014 when serving a 4-week sentence after being convicted of 'causing chaos' in the Legislative Council in 2011. Then, Leung was forced to cut away his long hair due to the appearance policy of the correctional services.

Leung later filed a legal review, pointing out that it is discriminatory when female inmates are allowed to keep long hair while male inmates are not. In November 2020, the Court of Final Appeal approved Leung's review.

Nevertheless, on February 1, 2021, the Department of Correctional Services implemented a new policy where inmates, regardless of their gender, cannot keep their hair beyond their shoulder's length.

Source: InMedia #May17
https://bit.ly/3waOe9r

#PoliticalSuppression #HumanitarianCrisis #CorrectionalServices #NationalMourning

#FirstHand #May31
Hongkongers Voice Support for Pro-democracy Activists Charged with National Security Law

Photos: https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/29846

On May 31, 2021, 47 pro-democracy activists and former legislators appeared in the the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts.

Many Hongkongers went to the court to show their support to the pro-democracy activists. Despite the hot weather, a huge crowd queued up, hoping to get a seat to look at the trial in thd public gallery of the court house.

Some of them chanted slogans of encouragement and signed “five demands, not one less” outside the court. The police cordoned off the area and monitored the crowd closely.

The case of the 47 pro-democracy activists marks one of the largest crackdowns on civil society by the Hong Kong authorities. They were arrested in January 2021 for breaching the national security law that was imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong since June 2020. The authorities' accusation was based on their participation a primary election among the democratic camp in July 2020.

#Save47 #Court #Solidarity #NeverGiveUp #HongKongProtests #PoliceState #Crackdown #47Democrats #PoliticalPrisoners #PoliticalProsecution

#NeverForget #NeverForgive
Over 10,000 People Arrested: 2 Years After the 1-million Pro-Democracy Protest in Hong Kong

Jan (alias), a 17-year-old Hong Kong youth, was charged with rioting.

In the end, he chose to plead guilty.

During a junior high school field trip, Jan visited a prison in Hong Kong. At the time, he thought, "I would never go to jail in my life. What's the point of the visit?"

He never imagined that in just a few years, he would be imprisoned because of a pro-democracy movement.

During a relatively mild clash, Jan was arrested on a charge of unlawful assembly. While he was detained, however, the police suddenly changed his charge to rioting. This was a complete surprise to Jan, and he thought the new charge was ridiculous.

His lawyer eventually managed to secure approval for his bail, though with strict curfew conditions. "I've lost most of my freedoms well before they declare me guilty," Jan said.

During a meeting, his lawyer explained to him that the police already had enough evidence to make the rioting charge stick. His mother immediately broke down in tears; Jan himself was overwhelmed by lethargy, staying up late and skipping school for a whole month, only imagining what prison life would be like.

Eventually, he decided to plead guilty, since it would lead to his sentence being reduced by one-third. After the court hearing, he saw forum posts questioning his plea when he had done no wrong. He was perplexed at their thinking. "'If your heart is truly in this movement,' I thought, 'why would you want any of us to get a longer sentence?"

---

As of April 2021, the Hong Kong Police has arrested over 10,000 people in connection to the 2019 Anti-ELAB movement. Among them, 1,700 were minors.

As of June 7, 2021, according to statistics provided by Stand News, 757 people are charged with riotting. 70% of them are below 25 years old and 75 of them are underaged. As of April 13, 2021, 28 people have been convicted. 23 of them have been sentenced; the longest jail time among them is 5 years and 6 months.

Source: Stand News #Jun9
https://bit.ly/3w2GkPQ

#PoliceState #HumanitarianCrisis #PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoners

#Hongkongers #NeverGiveUp
Detained HK Activist #OwenChow: Good Works Are Always Born in the Worst of Times

On June 22, 2021, Owen Chow, a 24-year-old pro-democracy activist, was finally granted bail after being detained for months.

Chow was among the 47 pro-democracy figures who were arrested by the police for participating in the Primary Election of the pro-democracy camp in 2020. They were charged with subverting the state under the National Security Law.

Among the 47 people detained, Chow is only the 12th person who has been granted bail; however, he was barred by the High Court from making any speeches or take part in any action that could be seen as "endangering national security". He cannot participate in any elections or contact foreign officials.

In addition, Chow has to surrender all his travel documents and not to leave Hong Kong. He has to report to the police every evening and observe an overnight curfew.

Leaving the detention center for the moment, Chow said to the journalists, "Good works are always born in the worst of times."

Source: Stand News; Apple Daily; RTHK #Jun22

https://bit.ly/3vW96Rz

#Save47 #PoliticalSuppression #PoliticalPrisoners #Bail #HighCourt

#GlobalSolidarity
Czech Terezín Memorial Exhibits Portraits of Hong Kong #PoliticalPrisoners

A painting installation by Hong Kong artist #LorettaLau depicting some Hong Kong political prisoners will open on 7 October 2021 in Terezín Memorial, a former #NAZI concentration camp in the #CzechRepublic.

Lau was invited to take part in Fortress 1980 exhibition and human rights conference. Titled ‘The Cells’, the paintings are installed in solitary confinement cells, a stark reminder of ‘the nature of the dictators has never changed,’ said Lau.

'The Cells' features 13 political prisoners under the Hong Kong National Security Law, including Jimmy Lai Chi-ying, Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, Tony Chung Hon-lam, Agnes Chow Ting, and more.

A faint portrait of each prisoner is painted on a piece of white door curtain installed at the entrance to a solitary confinement cell.

To have a clear view of the portraits, visitors must walk into the cells. Looking from inside out, the images will be lit up by the light outside.

The design aims to arouse the visitor’s empathy with those imprisoned. ‘I hope by having them walking into the cells, they will have a direct and personal experience of how being confined feels like,’ said Loretta.

*Note: The artist Loretta Lauwill stage a live performance at Terezín Memorial at 5pm Thursday Oct 7 (HKT 2300). She will use her movements and voices to commemorate the countless people who suffered in the concentration camps, to resonate between the tragedies in the past and the happening misfortunes.

The performance will be streamed live at: https://youtu.be/IZ6b-KPctOk

Source: Stand News #Oct1

https://www.thestandnews.com/art/%E6%8D%B7%E5%85%8B%E7%B4%8D%E7%B2%B9%E9%9B%86%E4%B8%AD%E7%87%9F%E7%B4%80%E5%BF%B5%E9%A4%A8%E5%B1%95%E8%A6%BD-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E8%97%9D%E8%A1%93%E5%AE%B6%E7%8D%B2%E9%82%80%E5%8F%83%E8%88%87-%E5%B1%95%E5%87%BA%E5%9C%8B%E5%AE%89%E6%B3%95%E8%A2%AB%E6%8D%95%E8%80%85%E8%82%96%E5%83%8F

#Art #Culture #Installation #Exhibition #TheCell #ProtestArt #ConcentrationCamp