#Breaking #MassArrest #NationalSecurityLaw
Benny Tai, Robert Chung, and fifty more Democratics arrested this morning for inciting subversion of state power through arranging ‘35+ Primary Election’

The #DemocraticParty suggested a ’35+ #PrimaryElection scheme’, hoping to secure over half of the seats in the #2019LegislativeCouncilElection, yet the election was cancelled later. The #NationalSecurityDepartment of Hong Kong Police Force arrested around #50Democratics.

At around 6 in the morning, the Democratic Party stated on their Facebook that ex #LegCoMember #JamesTo Kun-sun, #AndrewWan and #LamCheukTing were arrested at their homes for #IncitingSubversinoOfStatePower through suggesting the ’35+ Primary Election scheme’. #GaryFan Kwok-wai from the #NeoDemocrats was also arrested, and he stated on his personal Facebook that ’The Charge is joining the Primary Election’.

Social Movement Activist #VentusLau Wing-hong, #JimmySham Tsz-kit , ex-Legislative Council Member #LeungKwokHung, #EddieChu Hoi-dick, #WuChiWai, #RoyKwong Chun-yu, #HelenaWong Pik-wan, #AlvinYeung Ngok-kiu, District Councillor of the Southern District #TiffanyYuen, ex- #theStandNews reporter #GwynethHo Kwai-lam, District Councillor of Central and Western District #FergusLeung, jurisprudent #BennyTai Yiu-ting, and the Chair of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (#PORI) #RobertChung Ting-yiu were also arrested.

Source: Apple Daily, Stand News; #Jan06

https://hk.appledaily.com/breaking/20210106/JSJPIIZ6WNGBZHMPVDF76T3ODM/

#ProtestArt
Revolution of Our Times Wins "Most Influential" & "Best Cultural Image" Awards at FIPADOC Festival in France

Revolution of Our Times, a documentary banned in Hong Kong chronicling the 2019 Anti-ELAB Movement, has won two awards at the 2022 FIPADOC International Documentary Festival in France, in the catagories of "Most influential" and "Best Cultural Image".

This is the second time the film has won an international award, after taking home the Best Documentary at Taiwan's Golden Horse Film Festival in November last year.

Documentaries from Germany, France, and Belgium were also nominated at the FIPADOC awards, which honor films that inspire social justice, environmentalism, and human rights. The annual festival specializes in non-fiction films, and is now in its 34th year, having first been held in Cannes, France in 1987.

Since its premiere at Cannes Film Festival, every showing of "Revolution of Our Times" has attracted public attention and filled seats at film festivals around the world.

Director #KiwiChow, who resides in Hong Kong, had previously stated that he does not have a copy of the film on hand. The film is scheduled to be screened in Taiwan's theatres on February 25. It will be the first territory where the film is shown in public.

The documentary shows multiple angles of the Anti-ELAB protests from seven different iconic groups in the movement: former reporter turned activist #GwynethHo, who is now held in custody; professor #BennyTai; social workers; the seniors group #ProtectOurChildren; volunteer drivers; first aiders; university students turned frontline protesters; and high school students who left behind their wills before going out to fight.

The film weaves their stories together with now-classic images of the movement, and paints a realistic portrait of Hong Kong's fight for freedom and democracy.

See also: Hong Kong's "Revolution of Our Times" Wins Best Documentary in Taiwan Film Awards; Director: "This Film Belongs to Every Hongkonger Who Cried for Hong Kong
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31526

Source: Commons HK; #Jan24

https://bit.ly/3IDxMVA

#RevolutionOfOurTimes #FIPADOC #Film #Award

#PoliticalOppression #Court
#47democrats in Hong Kong detained for almost a year while awaiting trial

The national security case involving 47 pro-democracy figures continued its third time hearing on February 8, 2022 in a Hong Kong Court.

The case was again adjourned for next hearing scheduled on February 28, 2022. By then, most of the defendants have remanded in custody for almost one year.

The 47 defendants – including activist #JoshuaWong, former law professor #BennyTai and ex-lawmakers #LamCheukTing, #WuChiWai and #LeungKwokHung – stand accused of taking part in an unofficial primary election in July 2020 with a view to subverting the state power.

Only 14 of the accused democrats are currently on bail pending trial. Others have been in custody for almost one year while they await trial.

#NationalSecurityLaw #NSL #PoliceState #WhiteTerror

Source: InmediaHK, #Feb8
https://bit.ly/3GEDTrc

#47Democrats #PrimaryElection #MassArrest
"To Plea or Not To Plea guilty" is a queation that suffocates defendants

47 lawmakers, academia, and activist are being suspected of organising and participating in the primary election in 2020. They are being accused of "conspiring subversion of state".

In the 139-page of case study, it revealed that 5 of the defendants were classified as "major organisers" - #BennyTai, a legal scholar; #AuNokHin, a former legislator; #ChiuKaYin and #ChungKamLun, former district council members; and #GordonNg, an activist.

Among them, only Gordon Ng decided to plea not guilty.

Gordon Ng Concern Group wrote a post on social media after the release of the restrictions on reporting the cases, referring to Ng's perspective that he is "definitely not believing" that he had violated the law,  and therefore, "I will face it despite being afraid”.

Ng said that he spent most of his time thinking about whether or not to plead guilty since being charged one and a half years ago. This question "makes him breathless" as his answer would most likely affect the second half of his life, with too many factors to consider.

He mentioned up until now, no defendant under the #NSL case has successfully been acquitted of their charges and described the space for discusiion, as an unknown as it required a lot of human and material resources. He asked, "is there a better way to use the resources spent on me?"

Ng understands that if he pleads guilty, his one-third of his original sentence may be cut. Yet, he is still unsure whether he is classified as a "main person", "with large crime" or "proactive participant". The category can seriously affect his sentence, from under three years to life imprisonment.

In addition, Ng stated that the case caught local and international attention, and as a result, he reflects on whether he has the responsibility to consider the view of civic society. He is an #Australian citizen, and the Australian government once published a statement raising concerns on the case. Therefore, he reflects, "Will my defence statement affect their views on the case?"

Gordon Ng admitted that he had no answer for most of his questions, but a fundamental question struck him - Do you think you had violated the law? "No, I absolutely don't think so. Therefore, I decide not to plead."

There is no way for him to get rid of the unknowns. He can only face it with courage. "I have prepared to fight for myself on the court. That is the largest battle in my life."

[Editor note: Gordon Ng is not a candidate for the election nor represents any political parties or organisations but a passerby on #LIHKG (named Lee Bak Lou, indicating liberal). He was the initiator of #LegCoPetition. It is a petition aimed to quantify people's voices and to call people to vote for the winners in the primary election and not to vote for candidates who do not support, participate or comply with the primary election. This petition puts pressure on candidates to adhere to the election results.]

Source: InMedia, GordonNgConcernGroup Facebook Page #Aug18

https://bit.ly/3Ctdhek
https://bit.ly/3Rb3rSD

Read more about the case:

Jan 6, 2021:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/27802

Feb 28, 2021:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28799

Mar 1-2, 2021:
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/28876
.