Australian-Chinese writer who has been arrested for more than two years, was charged with espionage and tried in Beijing. His wife and Australian ambassador to China were refused to attend
Australian-Chinese writer Yang Hengjun detained by the Chinese authority for more than two years and charged with espionage. The case was being heard in Beijing No.2 Intermediate People’s Court this morning, and it is expected that it will take at least one day for deliberation. Fu Guanhan, Australia ambassador to China attended but being refused to listen due to pandemic reason.
Some reporters at the scene posted photos outside of court on the social platform Twitter before the trial, however there were multiple police being alerted. After Australia ambassador to China Fu Guanhan was refused to attend the court hearing, he told the out-of-court media, “Unfortunately, we have just been refused entry into the courtroom on the grounds of epidemic, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that the case involves national security, so we are not allowed to listen”. Reuters quoted the friends of Yang and stated, Yang’s wife Yuan Ruijuan was also being refused to enter.
Source: Stand News #May27
https://bit.ly/2SdNhz3
#Australia #China #writer #Beijing #Espionage #Pandemic #Trial #NationalSecurity #Reuters
Australian-Chinese writer Yang Hengjun detained by the Chinese authority for more than two years and charged with espionage. The case was being heard in Beijing No.2 Intermediate People’s Court this morning, and it is expected that it will take at least one day for deliberation. Fu Guanhan, Australia ambassador to China attended but being refused to listen due to pandemic reason.
Some reporters at the scene posted photos outside of court on the social platform Twitter before the trial, however there were multiple police being alerted. After Australia ambassador to China Fu Guanhan was refused to attend the court hearing, he told the out-of-court media, “Unfortunately, we have just been refused entry into the courtroom on the grounds of epidemic, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that the case involves national security, so we are not allowed to listen”. Reuters quoted the friends of Yang and stated, Yang’s wife Yuan Ruijuan was also being refused to enter.
Source: Stand News #May27
https://bit.ly/2SdNhz3
#Australia #China #writer #Beijing #Espionage #Pandemic #Trial #NationalSecurity #Reuters
立場新聞 Stand News
被捕逾兩年 澳籍華裔作家楊恆均遭控間諜罪北京受審 妻及澳駐華大使被拒旁聽 | 立場報道 | 立場新聞
澳洲籍華裔作家楊恆均被中國當局扣留兩年多被控間諜罪的案件今早（27 日）於北京市第二中級人民法院開庭審訊，預料...
HongKongers Turn to Blockchain to Preserve Protest Archives
LikeCoin, a decentralized publishing infrastructure on the Cosmos blockchain, is being used to preserve media coverage of the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
As Quartz reported, people began backing up key episodes of the city’s current affairs program, Hong Kong Connection, earlier this month. The award-winning show is the property of public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong. The broadcaster announced in May that it would erase archive content over a year old; it has increasingly fallen under government influence.
Source: Decrypt #May27
https://decrypt.co/72057/hong-kong-media-turns-blockchain-preserve-protest-archives
#Media #Blockchain #Protest #LikeCoin
LikeCoin, a decentralized publishing infrastructure on the Cosmos blockchain, is being used to preserve media coverage of the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
As Quartz reported, people began backing up key episodes of the city’s current affairs program, Hong Kong Connection, earlier this month. The award-winning show is the property of public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong. The broadcaster announced in May that it would erase archive content over a year old; it has increasingly fallen under government influence.
Source: Decrypt #May27
https://decrypt.co/72057/hong-kong-media-turns-blockchain-preserve-protest-archives
#Media #Blockchain #Protest #LikeCoin
#ProtestArt
Pro-democracy documentary depicting Anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong in 2019 sets for international viewing on Vimeo in June
The award recognised documentary, Revolution of Our Times will soon be released internationally on Vimeo, an online streaming platform, on June 1, 2022.
The team of the documentary told supporters on the Facebook page that they want to let the world witness the determination and courage of the Hongkongers in the pursuit of democracy and freedom.
"Never forget why we started this journey, we hope the documentary will travel far, and reach out to more people," the team wrote.
#KiwiChow #ANTIELAB #PoliceState #PoliticalOppression
Pre-order links:
English only subtitled version
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/revolutionofourtimeseng
Chinese and English subtitled version https://vimeo.com/ondemand/revolutionofourtimes
Source: Inmediahk; #May27
Pro-democracy documentary depicting Anti-ELAB movement in Hong Kong in 2019 sets for international viewing on Vimeo in June
The award recognised documentary, Revolution of Our Times will soon be released internationally on Vimeo, an online streaming platform, on June 1, 2022.
The team of the documentary told supporters on the Facebook page that they want to let the world witness the determination and courage of the Hongkongers in the pursuit of democracy and freedom.
"Never forget why we started this journey, we hope the documentary will travel far, and reach out to more people," the team wrote.
#KiwiChow #ANTIELAB #PoliceState #PoliticalOppression
Pre-order links:
English only subtitled version
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/revolutionofourtimeseng
Chinese and English subtitled version https://vimeo.com/ondemand/revolutionofourtimes
Source: Inmediahk; #May27
#Oppression #June4
Hong Kong authorities "blocked" venue booking for once-annual candlelight vigil for Tiananmen massacre victims for a third year running
Sources: Ming Pao; #May24, #May27
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Hong Kong authorities "blocked" venue booking for once-annual candlelight vigil for Tiananmen massacre victims for a third year running
Sources: Ming Pao; #May24, #May27
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#Oppression #June4
Hong Kong authorities "blocked" venue for once-annual candlelight vigil for Tiananmen massacre victims for a third year running
On May 24, a local daily, Ming Pao reported that the Leisure and Cultural Service Department (#LCSD), which administers the Victoria Park soccer pitches where the rally used to take place, has suspended any bookings on June 4, the 33rd anniversary of the #TiananmenMassacre, although bookings are available on other days in the same month.
Just 3 days afterwards, on May 27, the football pitches at Victoria Park were seen fully booked on June 4 from as early as 7am in the morning. No bookings, however, were seen for the rest of June. The same daily found.
The vigil has been banned -- ostensibly for public health reasons -- for the past two years and the leaders of its organizing group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, arrested for colluding with foreign powers under a national security law imposed by Beijing from July 1, 2020.
Sources:
Ming Pao; #May24
https://bit.ly/3avt8NF
Ming Pao; #May27
https://bit.ly/3M00GjM
---
Related news
Hong Kong Catholic group will not hold Tiananmen crackdown masses citing fears over national security law
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32764
.
Hong Kong authorities "blocked" venue for once-annual candlelight vigil for Tiananmen massacre victims for a third year running
On May 24, a local daily, Ming Pao reported that the Leisure and Cultural Service Department (#LCSD), which administers the Victoria Park soccer pitches where the rally used to take place, has suspended any bookings on June 4, the 33rd anniversary of the #TiananmenMassacre, although bookings are available on other days in the same month.
Just 3 days afterwards, on May 27, the football pitches at Victoria Park were seen fully booked on June 4 from as early as 7am in the morning. No bookings, however, were seen for the rest of June. The same daily found.
The vigil has been banned -- ostensibly for public health reasons -- for the past two years and the leaders of its organizing group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, arrested for colluding with foreign powers under a national security law imposed by Beijing from July 1, 2020.
Sources:
Ming Pao; #May24
https://bit.ly/3avt8NF
Ming Pao; #May27
https://bit.ly/3M00GjM
---
Related news
Hong Kong Catholic group will not hold Tiananmen crackdown masses citing fears over national security law
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32764
.
明報新聞網 - 每日明報 daily news
維園足球場 6月4日不出租 康署稱因疫情停非指定用途訂場 警未接公眾活動申請 - 20220524 - 要聞
【明報專訊】今年是六四事件33周年，也是《港區國安法》實施後，第二個六四周年。有市民昨致電康文署，查詢6月4日維園足球場出租情况，該署職員表明當日康文署暫停足球場出租，同月其他日子可以預約租用。康文署昨未正面回應為何足球場於6月4日不出租，稱因應新冠病毒疫情，已暫停處理轄下免費康體場地作一般非指定用途活動的預訂申請，該署亦未有接獲市民申請於6月1至5日期間租用維園足球場舉辦非指定用途活動的查詢或申請。
As U.N. Rights Chief Visits China, Some Fear She’ll Become Part of the Spin
The news was given prime placement in Chinese state media: The United Nations’ human rights chief, on her long-awaited visit to the country, had spoken with China’s leader, Xi Jinping. An article plastered across the website of Xinhua, the state news agency, relayed Mr. Xi’s declaration that the Chinese people were enjoying “unprecedented” rights. Then the article quoted the U.N. official, Michelle Bachelet.
“I admire China’s efforts and achievements in eradicating poverty, protecting human rights and realizing economic and social development,” she said, according to Xinhua.
Source: NT Times #May27
https://t.co/oWlZsGvlSp
#China #UnitedNations #XiJinping #Spin
The news was given prime placement in Chinese state media: The United Nations’ human rights chief, on her long-awaited visit to the country, had spoken with China’s leader, Xi Jinping. An article plastered across the website of Xinhua, the state news agency, relayed Mr. Xi’s declaration that the Chinese people were enjoying “unprecedented” rights. Then the article quoted the U.N. official, Michelle Bachelet.
“I admire China’s efforts and achievements in eradicating poverty, protecting human rights and realizing economic and social development,” she said, according to Xinhua.
Source: NT Times #May27
https://t.co/oWlZsGvlSp
#China #UnitedNations #XiJinping #Spin
#XiJinPing Warned US President #Biden Democracy Is Dying: 'You Don't Have the Time'
Source: Newsweek #May27
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Source: Newsweek #May27
Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#XiJinPing Warned US President #Biden Democracy Is Dying: 'You Don't Have the Time'
//US president Joe Biden revealed that after being elected to the White House, Chinese President Xi Jinping cautioned him that democracies are on the decline and that one day "autocracies will run the world."
"I've met more with Xi Jinping than any other world leader has. When he called me to congratulate me on Election Night, he said to me what he said many times before," Biden said. "He [Xi] said democracies cannot be sustained in the 21st century, autocracies will run the world. Why? Things are changing so rapidly. Democracies require consensus, and it takes time, and you don't have the time."
...Biden reiterated that he believed democracies would prevail against autocracies like China and Russia.
In recent months, many countries have moved to sanction Russia and supply Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid in an effort to support Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty. Russia has had few allies in the fight, although its most powerful has been China.//
Source: Newsweek #May27
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-naval-academy-speech-china-democracy-warning-1710966
//US president Joe Biden revealed that after being elected to the White House, Chinese President Xi Jinping cautioned him that democracies are on the decline and that one day "autocracies will run the world."
"I've met more with Xi Jinping than any other world leader has. When he called me to congratulate me on Election Night, he said to me what he said many times before," Biden said. "He [Xi] said democracies cannot be sustained in the 21st century, autocracies will run the world. Why? Things are changing so rapidly. Democracies require consensus, and it takes time, and you don't have the time."
...Biden reiterated that he believed democracies would prevail against autocracies like China and Russia.
In recent months, many countries have moved to sanction Russia and supply Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid in an effort to support Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty. Russia has had few allies in the fight, although its most powerful has been China.//
Source: Newsweek #May27
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-naval-academy-speech-china-democracy-warning-1710966
Newsweek
China President Warned Biden Democracy Is Dying: 'You Don't Have the Time'
Biden told the Naval Academy's Class of 2022 that they would graduate as "representatives and defenders of our democracy."
#UN rights chief falls under wheels of China's propaganda machine
Beijing's propaganda machine has outwitted the UN human rights chief on her visit to China, campaigners say, leaving the envoy accused of playing a role in whitewashing abuses against minorities in Xinjiang.
"She must have the political courage and integrity to speak out when her words and her visit are being distorted," said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute. "If she is not prepared and able to do so, she should not visit."
Michelle Bachelet's long-planned trip in late May has taken her to the far-western region where Beijing is accused of imprisoning over one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, forcibly sterlising women and running labour camps that fuel global supply chains.
The United States and multiple western lawmakers have labelled the actions a "genocide", allegations vehemently denied by China which says it has only conducted necessary security operations to squash extremism and beef up development.
Bachelet has come under fire from rights groups and Uyghurs overseas, who say she has been suckered into a slickly choreographed Communist Party tour including a conversation with President Xi Jinping later portrayed in state media as a mutual endorsement of China's high ideals on rights.
It is "as clear as day" that China has so far used the visit "to promote its own narrative and defend its poor human rights record", said Alkan Akad, a China researcher at Amnesty.
The goal is "to show the world that it can bend a top UN human rights official -- and thus the very concept of human rights -- to its will," said Maya Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch.
London-based Uyghur activist Rahima Mahmut slammed the visit as "window dressing".
"This is not the neutral, independent, unfettered investigation that we were promised," she told AFP.
Instead, Beijing was seeking "a free pass to continue carrying out repression, surveillance, torture and genocide against communities like mine", she added.
The hard details of what Bachelet saw and who she met during the visit have been largely withheld on a trip carried out in a "closed loop" by order of Beijing, ostensibly due to Covid risks.
China has filled the information vacuum, with state media running gleeful readouts of meetings between her and Xi as well as foreign minster Wang Yi.
They reported that Bachelet said she "admired China's efforts and achievements in ... protecting human rights" during the virtual call with Xi.
A spokesperson for Bachelet did not confirm whether the reports were accurate when contacted by AFP, instead saying the UN would not publish readouts of bilateral meetings.
A later, hurried "clarification" by the UN stopped short of denying that she had praised China's rights record. But neither side mentioned Xinjiang in their readouts.
Norway-based Uyghur activist Abduweli Ayup said he was "disappointed" that Bachelet had appeared to allow Beijing to "misinterpret" her words.
"They have already used (her) for propaganda," he told AFP.
Read the full article:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220527-un-rights-chief-falls-under-wheels-of-china-s-propaganda-machine
Source: France 24 #May27
#Uyghur #Genocide #UN #HumanRights #CCPPropaganda
Beijing's propaganda machine has outwitted the UN human rights chief on her visit to China, campaigners say, leaving the envoy accused of playing a role in whitewashing abuses against minorities in Xinjiang.
"She must have the political courage and integrity to speak out when her words and her visit are being distorted," said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute. "If she is not prepared and able to do so, she should not visit."
Michelle Bachelet's long-planned trip in late May has taken her to the far-western region where Beijing is accused of imprisoning over one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, forcibly sterlising women and running labour camps that fuel global supply chains.
The United States and multiple western lawmakers have labelled the actions a "genocide", allegations vehemently denied by China which says it has only conducted necessary security operations to squash extremism and beef up development.
Bachelet has come under fire from rights groups and Uyghurs overseas, who say she has been suckered into a slickly choreographed Communist Party tour including a conversation with President Xi Jinping later portrayed in state media as a mutual endorsement of China's high ideals on rights.
It is "as clear as day" that China has so far used the visit "to promote its own narrative and defend its poor human rights record", said Alkan Akad, a China researcher at Amnesty.
The goal is "to show the world that it can bend a top UN human rights official -- and thus the very concept of human rights -- to its will," said Maya Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch.
London-based Uyghur activist Rahima Mahmut slammed the visit as "window dressing".
"This is not the neutral, independent, unfettered investigation that we were promised," she told AFP.
Instead, Beijing was seeking "a free pass to continue carrying out repression, surveillance, torture and genocide against communities like mine", she added.
The hard details of what Bachelet saw and who she met during the visit have been largely withheld on a trip carried out in a "closed loop" by order of Beijing, ostensibly due to Covid risks.
China has filled the information vacuum, with state media running gleeful readouts of meetings between her and Xi as well as foreign minster Wang Yi.
They reported that Bachelet said she "admired China's efforts and achievements in ... protecting human rights" during the virtual call with Xi.
A spokesperson for Bachelet did not confirm whether the reports were accurate when contacted by AFP, instead saying the UN would not publish readouts of bilateral meetings.
A later, hurried "clarification" by the UN stopped short of denying that she had praised China's rights record. But neither side mentioned Xinjiang in their readouts.
Norway-based Uyghur activist Abduweli Ayup said he was "disappointed" that Bachelet had appeared to allow Beijing to "misinterpret" her words.
"They have already used (her) for propaganda," he told AFP.
Read the full article:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220527-un-rights-chief-falls-under-wheels-of-china-s-propaganda-machine
Source: France 24 #May27
#Uyghur #Genocide #UN #HumanRights #CCPPropaganda
France 24
UN rights chief falls under wheels of China's propaganda machine
Beijing's propaganda machine has outwitted the UN human rights chief on her visit to China, campaigners say, leaving the envoy accused of playing a role in whitewashing abuses against minorities in Xinjiang.