📡Guardians of Hong Kong
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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Hong Kong Government Ousts Elected Lawmaker #ChengChungTai by "Disqualification"

The ‘Candidate Eligibility Review Committee’ of the Hong Kong SAR Government ousted CHENG Chung-tai, one of the final two opposition lawmakers from the city's lawmaking body, Legislative Council, on Thursday, 26 Aug, 2021. The news was announced by Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu.

Hong Kong's next Chief Executive will be selected by a non-elected 1,500-membered electoral in 2022. All of the members must be screened by the ‘Candidate Eligibility Review Committee’, chaired by #JohnLee, the city's former Security Chief.

The Committee has reviewed 1,498 electoral candidates and disqualified two of them. One of them is opposition lawmaker CHENG Chung-tai. Lee claimed, once Cheng loses his electoral candidature, he is disqualified immediately from his lawmaker seat.

Lee claimed that the committee had asked Cheng for information in ‘some matters’. After Cheng replied, the Committee for ‘Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong SAR’ said Cheng did not qualify.

Source: Initium Media #Aug27
https://bit.ly/3ykshFu

#PoliticalSuppression #Disqualifications #DQ #PoliceState #FakeElection #ChiefExecutiveElection #NationalSecurityLaw
#FirstHand #PoliceState
HK Police sends undercover officer and interrupts private screening of #KiwiChow's movie

A private screening of a Hong Kong romance movie "Beyond the Dream" was held on August 27, 2021 by a pro-democracy district councilor, Derek Chu Kong-wai, in his councilor's office in Mong Kok, Hong Kong.

The film's director, #KiwiChow, was invited to the screening to share his thoughts on its making.

The screening, however, was interrupted by a large group of police officers and officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.

The officers, initially, stationed outside Chu’s office while some entered his office to take photograph and record the scene. Soon after Kiwi Chow began sharing his thoughts on the making of the movie, police officers forced their way into the office space, accusing the attendees for breaching the 599G gathering restriction. Fine tickets were immediately issued to the 40 some citizens in attendance.

Police also set up a cordon line and told reporters to leave the office, calling it a crime scene.

Kiwi Chow and Chu Kong-wai spoke to media that the screening was a private event among friends. They felt that the actions of the police were absurd and unacceptable. Both questioned the police's rationale for sending an “undercover officer” to the private screening, as well as their definition of "public places".

However, Chow said that he still enjoyed the experience of the evening, because he was only sharing about the movie, and he hadn't talked about "Beyond the Dream" for quite some time. He also enjoyed the dialogue with the audience, and regretted that certain people had interfered.

"I really enjoy sharing about the movie, and I treasure the time of the dialogue. I have no fear; sharing the movie is a joy to me."

Editor's note:
Kiwi Chow is also the director of the documentary "#RevolutionOfOurTimes", which made international headlines with its surprise showing at the 2021 Cannes Film festival. "Beyond the Dream", a romance movie, received widespread support by Hong Kong moviegoers, and was among the top 10 most profitable movies in the city in 2020. It went on to win Best Adapted Screenplay at Taiwan's Golden Horse Award, and was also nominated for multiple other awards in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

#Aug27 #HongKongCinema #Film #PoliticalSuppression
Source: First Hand, Citizen News
#BNO
Beware of Chinese spies: British Government Urges Hongkongers to Apply Visa Online

//The [British] government is urging Hongkongers to apply for Britain’s new visa scheme online because China is stationing agents outside application centres.

[British] Ministers have been given intelligence that [Chinese] undercover agents are spying on dissidents coming and going from two centres in Hong Kong.

It is feared that they are passing on names and photos of dissidents to the Chinese authorities in an attempt to block their departure. 

The Times revealed last week that Chinese spies were posing as dissidents in an attempt to enter Britain through its Hong Kong visa scheme.//

Image: Stand News
Source: The Times #Aug17

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/beware-of-chinese-spies-visa-applicants-told-thdz6g8hq

#ChineseSpy #VisaApplication #Doxxing #PoliticalSuppression #CCP
#PoliticalSuppression
#HongKongArtsCentre Cancels Concert of Pro-democracy Singer #DeniseHo

The Hong Kong Arts Centre announced on August 31, 2021 that it has cancelled the venue booking for the concert of singer Denise Ho, an artist known for her pro-democracy stance. The Centre accused Ho and her team for "breaching a clause of the terms and conditions of hire" by allegedly creating "circumstances where public order or public safety would be endangered during the course of the performance".

Ho released a statement the next day, telling Hongkongers that she will not give up holding the concert. She announced that she will perform her concert via online streaming at the originally-scheduled time of the concert, September 12, 2021 at HKT20:00.

"There might be limitations with the venue, but the Stage is limitless," she wrote.

Source: Goomusic #Sept1

#HOCC #Music #Cantopop
#WhiteTerror
#Vitasoy requests personal info of staff's family and affiliations in order to pay their wages

On July 1, 2021, a 50-year-old Hong Kong man #LeungKinFai killed himself after stabbing a policeman. It later came to public attention that Leung was an employee at the beverage maker Vitasoy.

In August 2021, a union group expressed concern over reports that Vitasoy is asking its staff to declare any links they and their relatives have with various organisations.

Vitasoy has reportedly asked its workers in mid-August 2021 to sign an agreement to allow the company to collect their personal information as well as that of their family members, including any membership of associations or affiliation with different organisations.

According to the reports, the manufacturer also stated that it might not be able to pay workers if they decline to submit the information, and that such data would be handed over to law enforcement departments if required.

A worker who spoke to Stand News says he could not understand why the company
would want to collect information on their family members. "I'm the one working here, not my family. I feel like they're stripping me naked." Another worker said that it put him in a dilemma: "if I agree, I'd worry my personal information would be leaked. If I don't, I might not be able to feed my family."

According to RTHK reports, Confederation of Trade Unions' chief executive Mung Siu-tat said it is rare for companies to require information that is irrelevant to a person's job. "It's not just collecting the staff members' information, but also their families’. It makes people question if the practice has violated the privacy ordinance because it'd be collecting excessive data," he told an RTHK programme.

Mung said he was not convinced by Vitasoy's explanation that it was merely digitalising its human resources system. "Whether it's for salary payment or for signing them up for medical plans, it should already have got sufficient information to do so," he said. "It's not just updating [its system], it has changed the scope of the personal data it collects. It's collecting more private information that is irrelevant to the employment."

Mung said that it is not difficult to imagine that the move was linked to the stabbing incident on July 1.

Source: RTHK; Stand News #Aug28
https://thestandnews.page.link/isaoEeDhpy8KDmxs6

#PoliticalSuppression #Privacy #Censorship
National Security Police Raids June 4 Museum in Hong Kong, Damaging Exhibits and Locking Out Owner

On September 9, 2021, the national security police in Hong Kong raided the already-closed June 4 museum in Mong Kok.

This is followed by the arrest of four core members of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

Police carried off display boards, the museum's logo, material showing #XiJinping and #MaoZedong, 39 boxes of books, as well as other items, and took them away in a truck. Some exhibition panels were damaged in the process.

When a former member went to examine the museum site after the raid, he found that the security camera had been removed, and electric cable were damaged. The door lock had also been changed, and he could not enter the museum. On the gate, the national security police left a handwritten note: "'contact the Mongkok Police Station".

The Alliance had been the organizer of the annual June 4 candlelight vigil since 1990. The event as well as the museum aimed to remember the Tiananmen Massacre by the Chinese Communist Party on June 4, 1989.

Source: Stand News; InMedia #Sept9
https://bit.ly/3ng3Ffx

https://thestandnews.page.link/9NC1ojPHxEenYJiNA

https://bit.ly/3ng3Ffx

#June4 #Museum #WhiteTerror #WhiteWash #PoliticalSuppression #Intimidation #NationalSecurityLaw
#PoliceState
Hong Kong Alliance Chairpersons Charged with "Inciting Subversion of State"

On September 10, 2021, the Department of Justice (#DoJ) in Hong Kong laid charges of "Inciting subversion of state power" against the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, as well as its chairperson #LeeCheukYan, and co-chairs #AlbertHo and #ChowHangTung.

The Alliance was informed of the charges via the Hong Kong police, whose National Security department had yesterday carried off a large number of items from the Alliance's June 4 museum as evidence.

The case was brought to court on September 10, 2021. The court denied Chow's application for bail, while Lee and Ho have been detained for long under other charges relating to the pro-democracy movement.

[Editor's note: The same charge of "inciting subversion" were used by China against activists of the 1989 Tiananmen protests, which the Alliance commemorated in a candlelight vigil every year. It had not been applicable to Hong Kong until the introduction of the #NationalSecurityLaw in 2020.]

Source: NowTV; Stand News; Hong Kong Free Press #Sept10

https://thestandnews.page.link/zWbkF1EKaJhzPZJh6

https://www.facebook.com/hongkongfp/posts/4345088285578263

#June4 #Museum #WhiteTerror #WhiteWash #PoliticalSuppression #Intimidation #Regime #Tiananmen
Final posts by Hong Kong Pro-democracy Barrister #ChowHangTung Before Being Arrested by National Security Police

On the morning of September 8, 2021, barrister Chow Hang-Tung was arrested at her law firm's office. Chow is the co-chair of a pro-democracy organization, The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which had been the host of the annual candlelight vigil commemorating the victims of the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Massacre for 30 years.

Chow was alerted to the police's arrival. As the police made their way upstairs, she posted to her Facebook: "Regretfully, I won't make it to Gwyneth's bail hearing."

Chow, who had been representing #GwynethHo in her #HKPrimaries case, also wrote: "They could have told me earlier they're coming to get me; then I wouldn't need to stay up all night preparing for the court stuff."

"The worst part about getting arrested now, is I haven't brushed my teeth. What if my bad breath knocks out the National Security police?" She also asked her Facebook followers: "Any last words for me before I go?"

She also posted one final picture of the view from her law firm office window: "Seeing this view for the last time ..."

#PoliceState #NationalSecurityLaw #PoliticalSuppression #HongKongAlliance

Source: Stand News #Sept8

====
See also:

Chow Hang-tung: Do not kneel before a life that forces you to lie and suffer humiliation

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30988
#PoliticalSuppression
Support Group for Hong Kong's Pro-democracy Political Prisoners Faces Disbandment

#WallFare is a prisoner support group initiated by former pro-democracy lawmaker and social worker Shiu Ka-chun (#BottleShiu).

The group is known for providing support for detained and jailed pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong and their families. The group has helped families purchase prison-approved supply for inmates, coordinated letter-writing schemes to help inmates communicate with the outside world, and offering counselling services for families.

The group has come under pressure from Hong Kong authorities, with Secretary for Security #ChrisTang accusing (without naming) organizations for recruiting prisoners to develop influence among inmates and endanger national security while incarcerated.

Shiu, who started the support group 9 months ago, said on September 14, 2021 that the group would be disbanded and that he would release a statement soon. "The most important for Hongkongers is to stay alive," he said.

Source: RTHK; Stand News; InMedia; Commercial Radio; Wall-Fare #Sept14

https://bit.ly/3C7cf4i

https://www.facebook.com/110620427293577/posts/457534862602130/

#PoliticalPrisoner #InmateSupport #WriteWithYou #LetterWriting
Hong Kong Police Orders Pro-democracy Group to Delete Content from All Digital Platforms

On September 16, 2021, Hong Kong police ordered The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China to remove the content of their website, Facebook page and other digital platform.

This is followed by the arrests of the group's directors, who were charged with the subversion of state, and the police raid of the June 4 museum, which was previously run by the group.

The Alliance is a pro-democracy organization established in Hong Kong which had been organizing the annual candlelight vigil commemorating the victims of the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Massacre for 30 years.

The order was sent by a letter issued by the police commissioner on September 10. The organization was given 7 days to erase the content on all their digital platforms.

Source: Stand News #Sept16

https://www.facebook.com/710476795704610/posts/4544250728993845/

#PoliticalSuppression #Censorship #June4 #GreatFireWall #Internet
#FirstHand #Sept19
Leading Trade Unions Confederation in Hong Kong disbands after leaders received death threats

On September 19, 2021, the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (#CTU) announced disbandment.

Leaders of the group said a special general meeting is scheduled on October 3, 2021 to vote the decision through.

Chairman of the Confederation, #WongDikYuen, told press in a briefing that members of the group, one after another, have been receiving life-threatening messages, that if the Confederation continues its operation, their personal safety might be in risk.

Wong declined to divulge details of these messages nor sources. Chocked in emotions, he apologised to Hong Kong people, "Apologies, Hongkongers. #CTU can not carry on."

In the briefing, Wong also denied allegation of foreign collusion saying that it is a standing practice for the Conferation to stay in close connection with overseas organisations.

Vice-chairman, #LeoTang Kin-wah said members will showcase achievements of the Conferation in an exhibition planned to commemorate the group's 30th anniversary later this year.

In closing, Tang called for Hongkongers to "#AddOil".

Source: First Hand; #Sept19

#Crackdown #Regime #PoliticalSuppression #WhiteTerror #CivilSociety