šŸ“”Guardians of Hong Kong
9.53K subscribers
21.6K photos
1.88K videos
27 files
9.99K links
We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
Facebook: http://bit.ly/BeWaterHongKong
Instagram: @guardiansofhk
Website: https://guardiansofhk.com/
Download Telegram
#Court #PoliticalProsecution
#ChowHangTung References #TiananmenMassacre Against Accusations by Hong Kong Authorities

Source: Ming Pao; InMedia; RTHK #Jan4

Read more
ā¬‡ļøā¬‡ļø
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31821
#Court #PoliticalProsecution
#ChowHangTung References #TiananmenMassacre Against Accusations by Hong Kong Authorities

On January 4, 2022, Hong Kong court found Barrister Chow Hang-tung, chairperson of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, guilty of "inciting others to join an unauthorized assembly" in 2020 ā€” being the annual June 4th vigil in Victoria Park. The Alliance has been the organizer of the annual candlelight vigil in Hong Kong in commemoration of the victims of the June 4 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing since 1989.

West Kowloon Magistrate Amy Chan made the ruling according to a newspaper article and two social media posts published by Chow. Chow was sentenced to 15 months in jail. In addition to the sentence for another June 4 case, Chow will be jailed for 22 months in total.

As Chow defended herself, her speech won applause from the attendees of the court session.

Chow pointed out how commemorating June 4 was turned from the "bottomline of conscience" to a "dangerous red line". Following the removal https://bit.ly/3zoJArf June 4 related monuments and the closure of Stand News and Citizen News, this left no room to publicly talk about the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Massacre. Nevertheless, Chow said that she believes in the power of words, "Words have life which cannot be determined by the authorities nor the court." Chow said she would continue to speak up, regardless of the sentence.

In her conclusive statement, Chow cited the testimonies of the families of the Tiananmen Massacre and recounted how military tanks ran over civilians and pro-democracy protesters on the streets of Beijing in 1989. The judge interrupted Chow, questioning the relevance to the case. Chow said the victims of the Tiananmen Massacre are the victims of the case, "their voices should be heard in court more than mine."

The attendees of the court session applaused, while the judge ordered the police to "mark down their names and ID card numbers."

Chow concluded, "those who should plead for forgiveness are those executioners who destroyed families and those who called the Pillar of Shame ugly." Chow said she will preserve the candle of June 4 and bear the consequence of white terror.

Source: Ming Pao; InMedia; RTHK #Jan4
#Conscience #Perseverance #NeverGiveUp #Resistance #June4 #Alliance
#ChowHangTungā€˜s fiancĆ© writes open letter: ā€œWhen winter is here, spring is not too far awayā€

Source: InmediaHK.net #Jan5

Read more
ā¬‡ļøā¬‡ļøā¬‡ļø
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31830
#ChowHangTungā€˜s fiancĆ© writes open letter: ā€œWhen winter is here, spring is not too far awayā€

On January 4, 2022, Hong Kong court sentenced Barrister Chow Hang-tung, chairperson of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, to 15 months in jail for ā€œinciting others to join an unauthorized assemblyā€ in 2020. Said assembly was the annual June 4th vigil held every year since 1989 in Victoria Park, Hong Kong in commemoration of the victims of the June 4 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing.

Yedu, Chow's fiancee and human rights activist in China, wrote a letter to Chow a few days prior to the court's ruling. The letter was slated to be released by Citizens News, but the news outlet was shut down on January 4, 2022. The letter was at last made public on Facebook.

In the letter, Yedu said a heavy sentence was expected and that rule of law has fallen in Hong Kong. Yedu wrote the letter when former and current management members of Stand News was arrested. "This is the beginning of a long winter," Yedu wrote.

"When winter is here, spring is not too far away,ā€ Yedu also wrote.

Freedom is fragile. According to Yedu, freedom can be ā€œtrampled by the regime in a short time,ā€ even that ā€œthe right to mourn would be silencedā€. A regime does not need citizen, only subjects.

However, seeing how Hongkongers sent letters to Chow and showed support inside and outside of the court, Yedu said, ā€œI can see that people's hearts are not dead yet.ā€

At last, Yedu cited the lyrics of ā€œFlower of Freedom,ā€ a song dedicated to the pro-democracy protesters who were wounded by or died of the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing:

"However heavy the rain is, the flower of freedom will still bloom.ā€

On the same day, Chow's personal page was updated with the statement she gave in court on January 4, 2022:

"The only way to defend the freedom of speech is to keep talking."

Source: InmediaHK #Jan5

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
#Resistance #Yedu #Alliance #NeverGiveUp

=====
Related News

Chow Hang Tung References #TiananmenMassacre Against Accusations by Hong Kong Authorities
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31821
#Crackdown
IPAC : It is absurd that mere applause during a court case can be construed as a seditious act

#NationalSecurityLaw #CCP #June4 #ChowHangTung

Source: The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China; #Apr6
Image source: RFA; #Apr8

Read more
ā¬‡ļøā¬‡ļøā¬‡ļø
#Crackdown
IPAC : It is absurd that mere applause during a court case can be construed as a seditious act

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (#IPAC) condemns the arrest of 6 individuals on suspicion of seditious intention to incite hatred, contempt or rebellion against the administration of justice in Hong Kong after applauding during the trial of Chow Hang-tungā€™s June Fourth memorial incitement case in early 2022. 

The individuals arrested include the vice-chairman of the now disbanded Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (#HKCTU), Leo Tang, and citizen journalist Siew Yun-Long (Siu Wan).

The sedition charges were made under Sections 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance ā€“ colonial era laws that have been criticised by the UN Human Rights Committee and frequently used by the Hong Kong authorities to crack down on legitimate protest.

The other individuals arrested were citizen observers at the courts who frequently witness political cases. 

"Not only are these charges wrong and to be condemned, but they also demonstrate how far the rule of law has deteriorated in Hong Kong," IPAC said in its statement.

IPAC also calls on governments to hold the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to account for these abuses and appeals for all overseas judges to withdraw from serving on Hong Kongā€™s Court of Final Appeal in this further undermining of the independence and integrity of Hong Kongā€™s legal system.

Read IAPC statement :
https://ipac.global/statement-on-the-arrest-of-journalists-trade-unionists-and-other-citizen-court-obervers-in-hong-kong/

#NationalSecurityLaw #CCP #June4 #ChowHangTung

Source: The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China; #Apr6
Image source: RFA; #Apr8

-----
Related article:
Hong Kong #NationalSecurityPolice arrest 6 under sedition law over ā€˜causing nuisanceā€™ during court hearings
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32529
.
Standing Committee Members Imprisoned: The Dilemma of Hong Kong Alliance and the Beginning of the June 4th Debate

By Translated by BeWater HK on May 9, 2022 ā€¢ 16 May 2022

On September 10, 2021 at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts Division 2, after the court clerk read out the charges, Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, who stood in the defendant's column, responded with a sonorous voice: "Understood, this is a ridiculous charge." Applause from the public gallery filled the court room.

Source: The Stand News #Sep24

#HKASPDMC #HongKongAlliance #NSL #NationalSecurityLaw

#June4 #TiananmenMassacre #DemocracyMovement

#SzetoWah #ChowHangTung #TonyeeChow #TsangKinShing #LeeCheukYan #AlbertHo

Full Storyļ¼š

https://telegra.ph/Standing-Committee-Members-Imprisoned-The-Dilemma-of-Hong-Kong-Alliance-and-the-Beginning-of-the-June-4th-Debate-05-16
Hong Kong court quashes decision to enforce reporting ban on activistā€™s national security case in landmark ruling

Reporting restrictions on proceedings regarding the transfer of criminal cases to the High Court must be lifted if the defendant makes such a request, a Hong Kong court has ruled. The landmark judgement, which could extend to cases prosecuted under the national security law, came after activist Chow Hang-tung challenged a magistrateā€™s decision to retain reporting restrictions in a national security case.
In a ruling published on Tuesday, High Court Judge Alex Lee said that magistrates had no say in whether to lift reporting restrictions on committal proceedings if the accused had applied to do so.

Source: HKFP #Aug02

#ChowHangTung #Reporting #Restriction #NationalSecurity

https://hongkongfp.com/2022/08/02/hong-kong-court-quashes-decision-to-enforce-reporting-ban-on-activists-national-security-case-in-landmark-ruling/
#Court
Hong Kong court quashes decision to enforce reporting ban on activistā€™s national security case in landmark ruling

//Reporting restrictions on proceedings regarding the transfer of criminal cases to the High Court must be lifted if the defendant makes such a request, a Hong Kong court has ruled.

The landmark judgement, which could extend to cases prosecuted under the national security law, came after activist #ChowHangTung challenged a magistrateā€™s decision to retain reporting restrictions in a national security case.

In a ruling published on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, High Court Judge Alex Lee said that magistrates had no say in whether to lift reporting restrictions on committal proceedings if the accused had applied to do so.

Chow, along with the Alliance, and the groupā€™s former leaders #LeeCheukYan and #AlbertHo, were charged under the Beijing-imposed #NationalSecurityLaw over alleged incitement to subversion.

The Alliance, before it was disbanded in September last year, organised Hong Kongā€™s annual candlelight vigils commemorating victims of the #TiananmenCrackdown, where it is estimated that hundreds, perhaps thousands, died when the Peopleā€™s Liberation Army cracked down on protesters in #Beijing on June 4, 1989.//

Read the full article:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/08/02/hong-kong-court-quashes-decision-to-enforce-reporting-ban-on-activists-national-security-case-in-landmark-ruling/

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Aug2

#Alliance #PoliceState #Censorship #JudicialReview #NSL
A jailed Hong Kong lawyer defies Beijingā€™s campaign to subjugate the city

It was just after sunrise when the police came for Chow Hang-tung.

The table in the room where she was working was strewn with documents as she prepared a bail application for a fellow pro-democracy activist. The 37-year-old barrister had pulled an all-nighter in her Hong Kong chambers on the 34th floor of the Bank of America Tower, where she liked to fuel herself with Japanese instant noodles and cups of instant coffee.

Suddenly, there was a loud rattling at the chambersā€™ glass doors. Chow tapped the Facebook app on her phone and began live-streaming. Someone kept ringing the doorbell and trying to input a security code. ā€œIt looks like theyā€™ve really decided to take action today,ā€ she said with a short laugh.

Sourceļ¼šReuters #Nov10

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/china-lawyers-crackdown-hongkong

#ChowHangTung #NSL #Lawyer