#Arrest #Suppression #PoliceState
Hong Kong National Police arrested social activists before a planned Winter Olympics demonstration

Veteran pro-democracy activist Koo Sze-yiu, was re-arrested today (February 4) on suspicion of inciting subversion of state power. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The 75-year-old member of the League of Social Democrats was taken into custody at his Cheung Sha Wan home shortly after 6am, and was being held at Cheung Sha Wan Police station for questioning.

Koo informed the media about his plan for the demonstration outside Beijing’s Liaison Office in the city that morning to protest China’s Winter Olympics, calling for attention to political activists behind bars.

The police also arrested four other people to assist with the investigation, local media said, although it was unclear if they had also been arrested.

He will be on trial at 9:30am at West Kowloon Magistrate Court on February 5.

Koo was jailed in January 2021 for desecrating the Chinese national flag. It was the tenth prison sentence in his last 30 years.

The veteran social activist who is suffering from the fourth stage of cancer was sent to Stanley Prison in April 2021 for 5 months.

Source: Inmediahk, #Feb4
https://bit.ly/35NQfRc

#KooSzeYiu #NSL #Subversion #BeijingWinterOlympics

#ProtestArt #Suppression
Disappearing pro-democracy "Yellow Art". Do you still remember him?

Hidobo is a street artist in Hong Kong, who quietly records historic moments of the Hong Kong #AntiELABmovement with spray. Yet, his visa will soon expire on February 9. Without an extension, he has to leave Hong Kong by then.

#Hidobo will not set up his street stall at Mong Kok anymore. If you happen to see him around the corner of the street, leave him alone. Let him enjoy the remaining few days in Hong Kong.

Had a conversation with Hidobo. He is strong-minded. He has been rejected for visa extension for multiple times. If he decides not to leave, he will be arrested. If he decides to leave, he doesn’t know where to go.

His homeland is politically unstable and facing a war. He does not have a clear idea of his future once he is forced out of Hong Kong.

"I have no idea where I can go next, probably #Ukraine. I am still unsure."

"The HK authorities do not let me stay. They refused to extend my visa. So, I must leave before February 9. I tried to discuss this with staff member of HK authorities with a hope to extend my visa. But I was rejected. I have no other choice but leave before my visa expires."

"I thought about coming back to Hong Kong. But I could be blacklisted. It is likely that I will not be allowed to come back. I do want to return to Hong Kong."

"There are so many uncertainties in life that I don't even know what will happen next."

Follow Hidobo on Instagram : IG@hidobo and support "Yellow Art".

#StreetArtist #UkraineArtist #YellowArt #StandWithHK

https://www.facebook.com/100064176097159/posts/305957124886822/?d=n

#Arrest #Suppression #PoliceState
75yo activist remains in custody until April on inciting subversion charge

#KooSzeYiu #NSL #Subversion #BeijingWinterOlympics

Source: InmediaHK; #Feb6

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#Arrest #Suppression #PoliceState
75yo activist remains in custody until April on inciting subversion charge

Hong Kong activist Koo Sze-yiu appeared before a national security judge in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on February 5, the day after he was arrested for inciting subversion.

Read more on his arrest:
Hong Kong National Police arrested social activists before a planned Winter Olympics demonstration
https://t.me/BeWaterHK/61

As Koo stepped into the defendant’s dock, he tried to wave and thank his supporters in the courtroom, but was immediately stopped by court security.

Later on when the magistrate asked Koo whether he understood the charges against him, Koo shouted, “Human rights rank above the right of states, and the people are more important than the state. I am not guilty.”

He was soon interrupted by the judge and ordered to cease shouting.

Without a legal representative, Koo applied for bail on his own, and was denied. He was not required to enter a plea as the Judge adjourned the case to April 1, 2022. Koo would be remanded in custody until then.

#KooSzeYiu #NSL #Subversion #BeijingWinterOlympics

Source: InmediaHK; #Feb6
https://bit.ly/3rsxwmp

#ProtestArt #Suppression
Pro-democracy street artist expelled in Hong Kong

Hong Kong authorities earlier denied a visa extension for a Ukraine-born street artist, Vladimir Grankovsky (aka Vladi or Hidobo), and ordered him to leave Hong Kong by the end of January 2022.

Read more about Hidobo
https://t.me/BeWaterHK/63

On February 7, 2022, it was reported that Vladi’s Instagram account has gone disappeared. Until late evening on the same day, Vladi wrote again on his IG page, saying that he was arrested the night before and was escorted to a plane and deported by immigration officers.

Vladi’s arrest was suspected to be related to his artwork selling at iSquare in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.

Vladi wrote on his IG page that he will release details about his arrest later. He also apologized to his supporters for the artwork delivery delays.

Follow Hidobo on Instagram: IG@hidobo and support "Yellow Art".

#StreetArtist #UkraineArtist #YellowArt #StandWithHK #Hidobo

Source: Luminance HK; #Feb7
https://t.me/luminanthk/5280

#AcademicFreedom
U.S. LGBTQ scholar denied visa to Hong Kong, possibly due to ties with Human Rights Watch

U.S. law scholar Ryan Thoreson, who studies the social and legal issues of #LGBTQ, was denied having a teaching visa from the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) as a tenured Assistant Professor. The scholar did not receive any reason for the denial.

Read related article
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32082

As there was no official explanation, Ryan Thoreson could not say whether it was because of his ties with Hong Kong Watch. "I don't think my studies have special criticisms on China as my main focus is on LGBTQ rights."

RFI said that the incident increased concerns about academic freedom in Hong Kong.

#RyanThoreson #HongKongWatch #AcademicFreedom

Source: RFI #Feb02

https://bit.ly/3GJVdej

#Censorship #June4th
Pro-democracy artists and activists arranged shipment of banned books in Hong Kong to US

Following the imposition of the National Security Law (#NSL) in Hong Kong in 2020, the local government launched a series of attempts to erase citizens' memories of the June 4th massacre in Beijing in 1989.

Yet, in mid-February this year, around 100 boxes of books and collaterals concerning the June 4th massacre, weighed over 8,000 pounds, had been successfully shipped out of Hong Kong to the Liberty Sculpture Park in California, USA.

The collection of books and historical archives will be kept at the "Victims of Communism Memorial" of Liberty Sculpture Park for public viewing in the future.

Chen Wai-ming, a representative of the Park, told reporters that these precious contemporary literatures and biographies, covering the truth of the June 4th massacre and crimes of the Communist Party, have been banned in Hong Kong.

Possessing these materials could bring troubles and even criminal risks to their owners.

Source: Epochin Times
https://hk.epochtimes.com/news/2022-02-22/5178352

#TienanmenMassacre #CCP #Suppression #Beijing

Hong Kong Police Arrest #StandWithUkraine Citizens

A netizen uploaded a 11-second video on Twitter. The video showed a man and a woman, wrapped in Ukrainian flags, being taken away by police on March 24, 2022 in Central.

Hong Kong Police confirmed that they ticketed 5 people for violating the anti-gathering ban.

Video: https://mobile.twitter.com/virginiaylau/status/1506931402247671813

Source: Twitter; Ming Pao #Mar24

https://m.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af%e8%81%9e/article/20220325/s00001/1648136995410/%e4%b8%ad%e7%92%b0%e8%88%89%e6%94%af%e6%8c%81%e7%83%8f%e5%85%8b%e8%98%ad%e6%a8%99%e8%aa%9e-5%e7%94%b7%e5%a5%b3%e6%b6%89%e9%81%95%e9%99%90%e8%81%9a%e9%81%ad%e7%a5%a8%e6%8e%a7

#PoliceState #Suppression #GatheringBan #HongKongProtest

#Censorship #GreatFirewall #Suppression
Hong Kong government considers blocking social platform Telegram

Sources: Headline Daily, Bloomberg; #May19

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#Censorship
Hong Kong government considers blocking social platform Telegram

Hong Kong's Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data is considering invoking regulations to restrict access to #Telegram, a popular social media platform it found to be "rampant" with doxxing.

Such an action, if taken, is likely to stoke fears that the #NationalSecurityLaw will further encroach on civil liberties, as part of a continuing effort by Beijing to exert its influence over the city.

It’s unclear how the privacy watchdog intends to carry out such an action. The authorities may choose to fully block public access, or remove the app from the city’s stores.

Francis Fong Po-kiu, honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, noted that it is technically difficult to ban public access of an internet platform.

Fong cited Russia's attempt to sanction Telegram in 2018 by blocking its IP addresses, which failed because IP addresses of such platforms are constantly changing. The action caused collateral damage, however, accidentally taking down unrelated websites and causing disruptions. Russia ultimately gave up and unblocked the app in 2020.

Telegram channels are still widely used in Hong Kong to help residents stay up-to-date on court cases involving pro-democracy activists, a means for 2019 anti-government protest supporters to stay connected amid a crackdown on dissent by the authorities.

Sources: Headline Daily
https://tinyurl.com/y69mnux4

Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-17/hong-kong-considers-blocking-telegram-local-paper-says

#May19 #GreatFirewall #Suppression

#Article23 #Suppression
Hong Kong government pushes for local national security legislation

In Hong Kong, the Secretary for Security Chris Tang said in February 2022 that the government planned to begin consultation efforts on Article 23 in May.

In April, Chief Executive-elect John Lee Ka-chiu  told reporters that legislating Hong Kong’s own security law would be “one of the priorities” of his administration.

When being asked in a legislative council meeting, the authorities refused to disclose related head counts and expenses claiming national security as the reason.

Article 23 of the city’s Basic Law – which is different from the Beijing-imposed national security law – stipulates that the Hong Kong government shall enact its own laws to prohibit acts of treason, secession, sedition or subversion against the central government.

Source: Inmediahk; #April
https://bit.ly/3Jvhwpz

#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

Hongkongers' Book Fair Cancelled, but Presses On with Online Store: "We'd Rather Be Naive than Give Up"

The annual Hong Kong Book Fair is set to take place in late July this year. However, many books that had political undertones or highlighted local culture had been banned from the book fair by local the government's Trade Development Council, who refused to explain the ban or give a list of exhibitors that they have turned away.

In light of this, local publisher Hillway Culture partnered with other like-minded exhibitors to organize the first-ever "Hongkongers' Book Fair," set to take place on July 14 in Causeway Bay.

The day before the fair was set to take place, however, the organizers received a notice from the venue owner saying that the book fair may be in breach of the fair's lease agreement, and they may need to terminate the lease, explained Hillway Culture's spokesperson Raymond Yeung during a press conference on the same afternoon.

Yeung explained in tears that he had expected all kinds of unexpected complaints against the book fair, including fire ordinances, anti-pandemic ordinances, or even the #NationalSecurityLaw. They had expressed willingness to fully cooperate with the venue owners, only so that #Hongkongers can have a book fair that belonged to themselves.

A journalist at the press conference mentioned that the pro-Beijing group "Politihk Social Strategic" had called on citizens to visit the book fair and "inspect the books for law violations". Plain-clothes officers were also said to have visited the venue, and inquired about the fair at the mall's management office.

By 9pm, the organizers announced that the venue owner had terminated the lease. The owner claimed that the book fair violated the venue's usage agreement by "sub-letting" booths to exhibitors - despite the venue having been previously used to host bazaars in a similar setup. The owner had even provided photos and promoted contractors who had previously provided booth setup works. Though the fair organizers expressed that they were willing to make any adjustments necessary, the owners insisted on terminating the contract, forcing the event to be cancelled.

News of the sudden shutdown was met with quick responses from Hongkongers who looked forward to the book fair. Many commenters pledged not to refund their VIP tickets and to visit the participating bookstores. In a subsequent Facebook post, the organizers thanked Hongkongers for their "encouragements, comfort, affirmations, and suggestions. This is an unexpected gift that came after such terrible news."

The organizers have continued on with the online version of the book fair, letting Hongkongers everywhere participate despite the lack of a physical venue. They had also secured a distributor in Manchester to ship out orders made in the UK.

Borrowing a quote from the participating Boundary Bookstore, the organizers wrote: "You can mock our naivete for staying behind, but we'd rather be naive than give up."

Source: #FirstHand #Jul13

Hongkongers' Book Fair Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/hkersbookfair/

#HKersBookFair #Suppression #Culture #BookBanning

Hong Kong Civil Servants Arrested for "Seditious" Social Media Posts

On Aug 9, national security police arrested 4 men, two of whom are civil servants, for allegedly publishing seditious posts online, Hong Kong Police said. 

Sources claim that the two civil servants are the administrators for the "Civil Servants Secrets" Facebook page, which publishes stories submitted anonymously by civil servants of the city.  The relevant Facebook page and Instagram are both currently down.

Police said that the two, aged 28 and 29, published seditious posts that "promoted feelings of hostility between different classes of the city's population".

Police had further investigated 5 other men, two of whom were arrested for allegedly committing fraud.  Police searched their homes and workplaces, and confiscated electronic communication devices.  Police said that the operation is ongoing, and there may be more arrests connected to the case.

Oscar Kwok, Head of the Hong Kong Civil Service College, spoke to reporters from HK01 last Friday that he reads the "Civil Servants Secrets" page to understand their feelings.  Kwok had served in the police force for 32 years, and said that he hopes the public - particularly the media - would speak more positively of civil servants and show gratitude for their work, so that they could be more motivated to serve the public.

A message from someone who claimed to have witnessed one of the arrests at a government office quickly circulated online.  The message said that police arrived at their office in large numbers, and the staff was told not to touch their computers.  Several computers were confiscated, including one that was said to contain very sensitive data.  The whole office was shocked. The source said: the managers looked sombre, and the rest of the staff kept their heads down as they quietly went back to work.

Source:
Channel C, HK01 #Aug09

https://bit.ly/3vQxSVQ

#CivilServants #Suppression #FreedomOfSpeech #NationalSecurityLaw
#FacebookPage #CivilServantSecret #Seditious

China Consulate in Manchester Drags Hong Kong Protesters Inside Gate and Assaults Them, Damaging Props and Tearing Out Hair

At the China Consulate in Manchester, UK yesterday (Oct 16), a group of Hongkongers gathered for a peaceful protest as the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP) Congress begins in Beijing.

Less than 2 minutes after a protester began a speech, however, several consulate staff, dressed in riot helmets and body armor, rushed out at the gathered crowd. The staff began destroying protest props and posters, and dragged at least one protester into the consulate grounds from outside the gate. A scuffle quickly developed.

Several consulate staff was seen surrounding and beating one protester that they pulled inside the consulate gates, holding down the victim and apparently tearing out a handful of hair, discarding it in a pile of signs that they had snatched from protesters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj45YCaF4yE

Police officers quickly intervened, rescuing several protesters that had been dragged into the consulate grounds. They quickly formed a line to prevent consulate staff from any further attempts at abducting protesters.

Bob, a Hongkonger at the protest, had several cuts on his face from the altercation with consulate staff. He told Chaser News that he saw at least 6 men came out "looking to beat up people". Sensing trouble, he stepped up to stop them, "but they dragged me inside and beat me up."

He said he was punched and kicked by the men, with injuries all over his body, and thought that he might die there. Fortunately a police officer went inside the consulate grounds and rescued him. The officers later told him that once the gate was closed, they wouldn't be able to do anything.

The man in the trench coat and face mask who came out to kick down the protesters' banners caught the attention of netizens, who noted his similar appearance to Consul-General Zhen Xiyuan in multiple pictures. He was also seen patting the back of one staff member in an armor vest as they retreated after their assault.
https://twitter.com/McWLuke/status/1581705603100995584?s=20&t=ZcjB2FgQiGzvQGyDxE-7iw

https://twitter.com/McWLuke/status/1581705603100995584?s=20&t=ZcjB2FgQiGzvQGyDxE-7iw
In a tweet sharing the video of the beating, Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton, calls for the UK government to urgently investigate their violence on British soil and their violation of free speech. "Chinese Ambassador should be summoned and if any officials has beaten protesters, they must be expelled or prosecuted."
https://twitter.com/aliciakearns/status/1581703837915971585

The activist group Hong Kong Indigenous Defence Force sharply criticized the Chinese Consulate's actions. As consulates are sovereign territory of its represented state, if they were allowed to drag citizens into the consulate grounds, then it meant they could forcibly abduct and detain anyone in Britain who displeased them. The group urges the world to "seriously re-examine the legitimacy of the CCP's overseas consulates".

source #Oct16:
WinAndMac
https://www.winandmac.com/2022/10/hong-kongers-are-beaten-up-by-the-chinese-people-in-uk/

The Chaser News
https://www.facebook.com/the.chaser.news/posts/pfbid02eU6UCXSm5hXRvikq2gFEePA8f5ZnJ1VnELnmEY7GVq8NzyCT4xGYkq5gwGfpAHfjl

Hong Kong Indigenous Defence Force
https://www.facebook.com/100078098827369/posts/pfbid0289p53aDGLEBEAC813VMetGwYwGLaH1tJqwZPcJNiyFDRJWPNrTsTo3vvYKQruczxl/

#Manchester #HongKongProtest #CCPCongress #Suppression

HK Police Forced Restaurant to Stop Business and Take Down "Sensitive" Wishing Notes

Hong Kong police had forced a noodle shop to suspend business until it removes customers' wishing notes with "sensitive wordings".

The restaurant, Betsutenjin Hakata Ramen in Tsim Sha Tsui, had a wall where customers could write their wishes on stickers resembling prayer plaques at Japanese shrines. Many wishes were related to the 2019 #AntiELAB protests, and the pro-democracy shop owner had left them up in the two years since as a record of the times.

However, police received a tip from a woman who alleged that the shop was displaying slogans that violate the #NationalSecurityLaw, Officers arrived and verbally warned the owner, who agreed to remove the offending messages on their own. Police listed the incident under "miscellaneous" and made no arrests, nor sent the National Security Department for follow-up.

Restaurant staff told Ming Pao that police had visited during the busy dinner hours, and demanded customers to leave the shop immediately. The staff had since removed over a hundred notes and resumed business the next day. The notes had only been used for decoration, they said, and no new notes had been added since the National Security Law came into effect in 2020.

The shop apologized to its customers with a Facebook post for having to take down its wishing wall after persisting for 3 years. The staff had read every single wish left by the customers, the post said; "We will not forget a single word from everyone."

From previous photos on the shop's Facebook page, some customers' wishing notes included "disband the police", "China implode", and "6.12" [ed: commemorating the date when protesters stopped the passing of the ELAB bill]. After the police visit, only a few stickers remain that read, "Hong Kong, add oil."

Source: Ming Pao #Nov16

https://bit.ly/3CMXOoF

Betsutenjin Hakata Ramen Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ramenbetsu/posts/pfbid0GUZuVz89q1BA1LZLBw3aWMgPBQXjtgm4Wmqx2JZuhsuGP8C2vHmJ9nr8siew9U2ql

#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #harassment #suppression #YellowEconomy

"Glory to Hong Kong 2023 Edition" Re-Released; Production Team Echoes Sentiments of "Not Wanting to Lose Freedom to Choose Music"

Source: In-Media HK #Jun19

#GloryToHongKong #FreedomOfSpeech #Suppression

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