#WhiteTerror #Oppression
Over a dozen companies refuse to transport #PillarofShame, citing concerns over Chinese government's reprisal
The Pillar of Shame - the Tiananmen memorial at the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) which stood for more than 20 years - has been dismantled and packed away in cargo containers by the University management in the middle of the night in December 2021.
Since then, the creator of the Pillar, Danish artist #JensGalschiøt, had been attempting to ship the Pillar back to Denmark.
In a statement, Galschiøt said that his team, including lawyers, 2 shipping companies, and even the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs were involved in the effort, but they had yet to find a company to move the cargo container from storage to the container wharf.
12 shipping companies turned them down, all citing concerns over the Chinese government taking vengeance on them.
Galschiøt reiterated that he is still hopeful for success, but it remains unclear as to when the Pillar can be shipped out of Hong Kong.
Source: Inmediahk; #Apr19
https://bit.ly/3918PH7
See also:
The Pillar of Shame is being destroyed in these minutes : Jen Galschiot calls for public record on Twitter (Dec 23, 2021)
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31702
New School for Democracy Announces Rebuilding Pillar of Shame in Taiwan: "One Pillar Falls, Thousands More Will Be Raised" (Jan 27, 2022)
https://t.me/BeWaterHK/15
#June4 #TiananmenMassacre #Memorial
Over a dozen companies refuse to transport #PillarofShame, citing concerns over Chinese government's reprisal
The Pillar of Shame - the Tiananmen memorial at the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) which stood for more than 20 years - has been dismantled and packed away in cargo containers by the University management in the middle of the night in December 2021.
Since then, the creator of the Pillar, Danish artist #JensGalschiøt, had been attempting to ship the Pillar back to Denmark.
In a statement, Galschiøt said that his team, including lawyers, 2 shipping companies, and even the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs were involved in the effort, but they had yet to find a company to move the cargo container from storage to the container wharf.
12 shipping companies turned them down, all citing concerns over the Chinese government taking vengeance on them.
Galschiøt reiterated that he is still hopeful for success, but it remains unclear as to when the Pillar can be shipped out of Hong Kong.
Source: Inmediahk; #Apr19
https://bit.ly/3918PH7
See also:
The Pillar of Shame is being destroyed in these minutes : Jen Galschiot calls for public record on Twitter (Dec 23, 2021)
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31702
New School for Democracy Announces Rebuilding Pillar of Shame in Taiwan: "One Pillar Falls, Thousands More Will Be Raised" (Jan 27, 2022)
https://t.me/BeWaterHK/15
#June4 #TiananmenMassacre #Memorial
#HumanRights #WhiteTerror
Hong Kong’s Human Rights Press Awards cancelled, citing legal risks
Source: Hong Kong Free Press
#PressFreedom
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Hong Kong’s Human Rights Press Awards cancelled, citing legal risks
Source: Hong Kong Free Press
#PressFreedom
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#HumanRights #WhiteTerror
Hong Kong’s Human Rights Press Awards cancelled, citing legal risks
Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club (#FCC) has cancelled this year’s Human Rights Press Awards, citing “significant areas of uncertainty” under the law.
In a statement emailed to members on Monday, club president Keith Richburg said the FCC board met on Saturday and “after a lengthy discussion, regretfully decided to suspend the Human Rights Press Awards pending further review.”
The winners of the Human Rights Press Awards were expected to be announced on May 3, which is also World Press Freedom Day.
“Over the last two years, journalists in Hong Kong have been operating under new ‘red lines’ on what is and is not permissible, but there remain significant areas of uncertainty and we do not wish unintentionally to violate the law,” Richburg wrote. “This is the context in which we decided to suspend the Awards.”
“I know this is an unusual step to take so late in the process, just weeks before we were set to announce the winners,” he added.
According to FCC's website, “The Human Rights Press Awards recognise top rights-related reporting from around Asia, with the goal of increasing respect for people’s basic rights and focusing attention on threats to those freedoms.”
Since the onset of Hong Kong’s national security law in 2020, two of the city’s newsrooms have been raided and their top editors arrested, as press freedom NGOs have sounded the alarm. #AppleDaily, #StandNews and #CitizenNews are among the outlets that have shuttered.
Full article:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/04/25/breaking-hong-kongs-human-rights-press-awards-cancelled/
Source: Hong Kong Free Press
#PressFreedom #HumanRights #WhiteTerror
Hong Kong’s Human Rights Press Awards cancelled, citing legal risks
Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club (#FCC) has cancelled this year’s Human Rights Press Awards, citing “significant areas of uncertainty” under the law.
In a statement emailed to members on Monday, club president Keith Richburg said the FCC board met on Saturday and “after a lengthy discussion, regretfully decided to suspend the Human Rights Press Awards pending further review.”
The winners of the Human Rights Press Awards were expected to be announced on May 3, which is also World Press Freedom Day.
“Over the last two years, journalists in Hong Kong have been operating under new ‘red lines’ on what is and is not permissible, but there remain significant areas of uncertainty and we do not wish unintentionally to violate the law,” Richburg wrote. “This is the context in which we decided to suspend the Awards.”
“I know this is an unusual step to take so late in the process, just weeks before we were set to announce the winners,” he added.
According to FCC's website, “The Human Rights Press Awards recognise top rights-related reporting from around Asia, with the goal of increasing respect for people’s basic rights and focusing attention on threats to those freedoms.”
Since the onset of Hong Kong’s national security law in 2020, two of the city’s newsrooms have been raided and their top editors arrested, as press freedom NGOs have sounded the alarm. #AppleDaily, #StandNews and #CitizenNews are among the outlets that have shuttered.
Full article:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/04/25/breaking-hong-kongs-human-rights-press-awards-cancelled/
Source: Hong Kong Free Press
#PressFreedom #HumanRights #WhiteTerror
Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
Hong Kong’s Human Rights Press Awards cancelled, citing legal risks
Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) has cancelled this year’s Human Rights Press Awards, citing “significant areas of uncertainty” under the law. Human Righ…
#Exodus #Oppression
Senior member of Hong Kong pollster leaves city for the UK, citing ‘red lines’
A senior member of Hong Kong’s leading independent pollster, #ChungKim-wah has left for the UK, calling the city a place where one may “no longer live normally and without intimidation.”
In his lengthy statement on Facebook, Chung said he had not initially considered emigrating.
“Now, I can only hope that the skies will be broader, the air fresher… and that I don’t have to think about whether the red lines that move arbitrarily will one day target me,” deputy CEO of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (#HKPORI) Chung wrote.
He added that he did not want his friends and loved ones – especially his elderly parents – to worry about him. “I am apologetic that I left without saying goodbye, and I regret that I couldn’t say farewell to you all,” Chung said.
#NationalSecurityLaw #WhiteTerror
Source: Inmediahk, HKFP; #Apr
https://bit.ly/3kb6J9X
Senior member of Hong Kong pollster leaves city for the UK, citing ‘red lines’
A senior member of Hong Kong’s leading independent pollster, #ChungKim-wah has left for the UK, calling the city a place where one may “no longer live normally and without intimidation.”
In his lengthy statement on Facebook, Chung said he had not initially considered emigrating.
“Now, I can only hope that the skies will be broader, the air fresher… and that I don’t have to think about whether the red lines that move arbitrarily will one day target me,” deputy CEO of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (#HKPORI) Chung wrote.
He added that he did not want his friends and loved ones – especially his elderly parents – to worry about him. “I am apologetic that I left without saying goodbye, and I regret that I couldn’t say farewell to you all,” Chung said.
#NationalSecurityLaw #WhiteTerror
Source: Inmediahk, HKFP; #Apr
https://bit.ly/3kb6J9X
#PressFreedom #Censorship
Why the days of Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club may be numbered
//I fear the days of the FCC itself are numbered. ...//
// The end could happen suddenly, given the news on Monday [Ed. April 25] that the club had cancelled its annual Human Rights Press Awards because of the “red lines” China has drawn on what is permissible to be published and the club’s fear the awards could inadvertently cross into dangerous territory for the club, its members, and participants in the awards. //
Read full article
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/05/01/why-the-days-of-hong-kongs-foreign-correspondents-club-may-be-numbered/
#FCC #RedLine #HumanRights #WhiteTerror
Why the days of Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club may be numbered
//I fear the days of the FCC itself are numbered. ...//
// The end could happen suddenly, given the news on Monday [Ed. April 25] that the club had cancelled its annual Human Rights Press Awards because of the “red lines” China has drawn on what is permissible to be published and the club’s fear the awards could inadvertently cross into dangerous territory for the club, its members, and participants in the awards. //
Read full article
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/05/01/why-the-days-of-hong-kongs-foreign-correspondents-club-may-be-numbered/
#FCC #RedLine #HumanRights #WhiteTerror
#Exodus #Oppression
Pro-democracy political cartoonist announces departure from Hong Kong citing ‘great mental stress’
The comic artist, #AhTo, who has drawn satirical cartoons about local politics for 11 years, made the announcement on social media.
He shared a drawing of one of his iconic characters standing in front of what appeared to be the London cityscape and said he left because he “wanted to continue creating for HK.”
"Staying in HK to produce political cartoon [causes] great mental stress. [I] have no alternative but to leave,” the artist wrote on Facebook, without stating his destination.
Ah To said he had considered giving up on political cartoons in 2017 when HK’s social movement was “at low tide.” He also thought about changing the theme of his work last year.
But he deemed that HK “needed political cartoons,” and said he wanted to “persist” by remotely creating cartoons for his home city.
#WhiteTerror #NationalSecurityLaw
Source: Inmediahk, HKFP; #Apr26
https://bit.ly/3MwJfIk
Pro-democracy political cartoonist announces departure from Hong Kong citing ‘great mental stress’
The comic artist, #AhTo, who has drawn satirical cartoons about local politics for 11 years, made the announcement on social media.
He shared a drawing of one of his iconic characters standing in front of what appeared to be the London cityscape and said he left because he “wanted to continue creating for HK.”
"Staying in HK to produce political cartoon [causes] great mental stress. [I] have no alternative but to leave,” the artist wrote on Facebook, without stating his destination.
Ah To said he had considered giving up on political cartoons in 2017 when HK’s social movement was “at low tide.” He also thought about changing the theme of his work last year.
But he deemed that HK “needed political cartoons,” and said he wanted to “persist” by remotely creating cartoons for his home city.
#WhiteTerror #NationalSecurityLaw
Source: Inmediahk, HKFP; #Apr26
https://bit.ly/3MwJfIk
#WhiteTerror #June4
Facebook banned authentic Beijing June 4th massacre photograph
Just two weeks before the 33rd Memorials of June 4th Massacre, a media veteran in Hong Kong found a photograph linked to the Tiananmen crackdown had been banned by Facebook.
The photograph that she posted many years ago showed a tank running over protest student Fang Zhang's legs.
Facebook claimed the photography is inappropriate content linked to "violence and bloodshed".
Even though, Facebook said it didn't violate "Community Standards', it argued that the photograph could be "deemed sensitive to some people."
Notes to editors:
Fang Zheng is a former student protester who was seriously injured during the Tiananmen massacre in 1989 in Beijing, China. During the evacuation of the Square in the early morning of June 4, Fang was run over by a People’s Liberation Army tank, which led to the amputation of both his legs.
Source: RFA Cantonese; #May20
https://www.facebook.com/454004001340790/posts/7424609714280149/?d=n
Facebook banned authentic Beijing June 4th massacre photograph
Just two weeks before the 33rd Memorials of June 4th Massacre, a media veteran in Hong Kong found a photograph linked to the Tiananmen crackdown had been banned by Facebook.
The photograph that she posted many years ago showed a tank running over protest student Fang Zhang's legs.
Facebook claimed the photography is inappropriate content linked to "violence and bloodshed".
Even though, Facebook said it didn't violate "Community Standards', it argued that the photograph could be "deemed sensitive to some people."
Notes to editors:
Fang Zheng is a former student protester who was seriously injured during the Tiananmen massacre in 1989 in Beijing, China. During the evacuation of the Square in the early morning of June 4, Fang was run over by a People’s Liberation Army tank, which led to the amputation of both his legs.
Source: RFA Cantonese; #May20
https://www.facebook.com/454004001340790/posts/7424609714280149/?d=n
#WhiteTerror #FreedomofReligion
Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China
#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution #Oppression
Image source: #FirstHand
Sources: Reuters, HKFP, UCA News; #May25
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32790
Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China
#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution #Oppression
Image source: #FirstHand
Sources: Reuters, HKFP, UCA News; #May25
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32790
#WhiteTerror #FreedomofReligion
Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China
Ninety-year-old retired Catholic cardinal #JosephZen hosted a packed mass in Hong Kong on the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, just hours after a brief court hearing over charges linked to pro-democracy protests.
In his homily after pleading not guilty to charges of failing to register a pro-democracy association to Hong Kong Police, Zen chose not to speak about his legal case, but to highlight how Catholics in some parts of China cannot attend Mass right now — for they have no freedom now.
Zen dedicated the mass to churches in China where believers are still split between a so-called “underground” church resistant to the government, and a state-sanctioned church belonging to the Chinese Communist Party’s Patriotic Catholic Association.
In his remarks at Mass, Zen again criticised the deal between China and the #Vatican that allows Beijing to nominate bishops for the pope’s approval, calling it “unwise” despite being made with “good intention”.
"There is an urge to unify those above the ground and those underground but it seems that time is not ripe yet,” Zen said.
Implying that there may be more difficult times ahead, Zen said that “we may have to bear some pain and steel ourselves for our loyalty to our faith.”
He also dedicated prayers to churches in Myanmar led by #CardinalBo, his most outspoken supporter in Asia, as well as “brothers and sisters who cannot join tonight because they are not free”.
Zen, one of Asia’s highest-ranking Catholic clerics, was among five prominent democracy advocates — including activist and singer #DeniseHo and veteran human rights barrister #MargaretNg — who were arrested in early May. His arrest is part of a national security police probe into foreign collusion over a legal support fund for pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
Instead, all five of the fund’s former trustees and its secretary were charged on May 24 with failing to register it as a “society” with police — a non-national security offence. All plead not guilty.
#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution #Oppression
Image source: #FirstHand
Sources: Reuters, HKFP, UCA News; #May25
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-catholic-cardinal-criticises-china-deal-after-national-security-arrest-2022-05-24/
-----
Related News
Hong Kong Catholic group will not hold Tiananmen crackdown masses citing fears over national security law
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32764
612 Fund Trustees and Secretary Plead Not Guilty for "Non-registered organisation" Charge
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32751
.
Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China
Ninety-year-old retired Catholic cardinal #JosephZen hosted a packed mass in Hong Kong on the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, just hours after a brief court hearing over charges linked to pro-democracy protests.
In his homily after pleading not guilty to charges of failing to register a pro-democracy association to Hong Kong Police, Zen chose not to speak about his legal case, but to highlight how Catholics in some parts of China cannot attend Mass right now — for they have no freedom now.
Zen dedicated the mass to churches in China where believers are still split between a so-called “underground” church resistant to the government, and a state-sanctioned church belonging to the Chinese Communist Party’s Patriotic Catholic Association.
In his remarks at Mass, Zen again criticised the deal between China and the #Vatican that allows Beijing to nominate bishops for the pope’s approval, calling it “unwise” despite being made with “good intention”.
"There is an urge to unify those above the ground and those underground but it seems that time is not ripe yet,” Zen said.
Implying that there may be more difficult times ahead, Zen said that “we may have to bear some pain and steel ourselves for our loyalty to our faith.”
He also dedicated prayers to churches in Myanmar led by #CardinalBo, his most outspoken supporter in Asia, as well as “brothers and sisters who cannot join tonight because they are not free”.
Zen, one of Asia’s highest-ranking Catholic clerics, was among five prominent democracy advocates — including activist and singer #DeniseHo and veteran human rights barrister #MargaretNg — who were arrested in early May. His arrest is part of a national security police probe into foreign collusion over a legal support fund for pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
Instead, all five of the fund’s former trustees and its secretary were charged on May 24 with failing to register it as a “society” with police — a non-national security offence. All plead not guilty.
#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution #Oppression
Image source: #FirstHand
Sources: Reuters, HKFP, UCA News; #May25
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-catholic-cardinal-criticises-china-deal-after-national-security-arrest-2022-05-24/
-----
Related News
Hong Kong Catholic group will not hold Tiananmen crackdown masses citing fears over national security law
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32764
612 Fund Trustees and Secretary Plead Not Guilty for "Non-registered organisation" Charge
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32751
.
Reuters
Hong Kong Catholic cardinal criticises China deal after national security arrest
Hong Kong's Cardinal Joseph Zen - in his first public remarks since he was arrested in a national security case earlier this month - on Tuesday criticised the Vatican for its "unwise" deal with China that is due for renewal in September.
#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
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
BBC News 中文
香港主權移交20週年:為什麼BBC中文網不說「回歸」?
香港特區成立源於主權移交,那為何不說「香港回歸」?澳門又為什麼不是「主權移交」?
#PoliticalOppression #WhiteTerror
#FreedomofReligion
Vatican 'should not sacrifice Cardinal Zen for China'
Source: UCA News, #Sept5
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#FreedomofReligion
Vatican 'should not sacrifice Cardinal Zen for China'
Source: UCA News, #Sept5
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️