#NationalSecurityPolice in Hong Kong Demands Pro-democracy Groups to Cancel Protest on #HandoverAnniversary

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the handover, chairperson Chan Po-ying, of the pro-democracy group League of Social Democrats (#LSD), released a statement. She said some volunteers working for thr group were visited by the national security police. The friends of these volunteers have also become the target of the police. After evaluating the situation, the group decide not to pursue any protest on the day.

Meanwhile, #AveryNg, a core member of the grouo who was recently released from the prison, was reportedly under the police surveilance. Ng posted the sentence "I'm in prison, if you know what I mean" on his social media page. Many associated the incident to how the Chinese police surveyed and monitored dissidents like Lu Xia before important days.

This time in Hong Konh Ng commented on his own post by saying, "I'm not being detained" and "I will be happy in the 'prison'."

Source: Mingpao; whatsapp news #Jube29

https://link.mingpao.com/74403.htm

https://www.whatsnewsmedia.com/9685/22/50/22/

#PoliceState #FailedState #Authoritarianism #Suppression #Handover

#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

Chinese Communist Leader VS British Royal Visits to Hong Kong

On June 30, 2022, Chinese Communist party (#CCP) leader #XiJinping visited Hong Kong on the 25th aaniversary of the transfer of soveignty of Hong Kong. He was received by officials of the Hong Kong SAR and the so-called "citizens representatives". Meanwhile, roads were blocked around "important locations", and a massive number of police were deployed. July 1 also marks two year since Beijing's enforcement of the #NationalSecurityLaw in Hong Kong.

This is very different from even the British royal visits to Hong Kong before 1997, as shown in the RFA video.

Source: #RFA #Jun30

#Handover #PoliceState

Flowers Offered to #LeungKinFai on anniversary of Knife Attack; Offering May Violate National Security Law, Police Warned

On July 1 one year ago, local man Leung Kin-fai stabbed a police officer with a knife outside in Causeway Bay, then took his own life. The attack, which took place on the first anniversary of the #NationalSecurityLaw, was labeled as a "lone wolf-style localist terror attack" by Secretary of Security Chris Tang, who added that the authorities will prosecute any actions that incite and glorify violence.

On July 1 this year, police deployed nearly 20 officers in armored vests to guard the scene of the attack. After finding a small bouquet of white flowers on the ground, the nearby officers quickly went on high alert, cordoning off the area and detaining a nearby young man in black. The man was searched and released after about 10 minutes, and the bouquet was taken away.

The young man told reporters that the flowers were not his; he told the officers that they could verify it by CCTV. One of the officers told him that he could offer flowers on normal days, but that day was a "special day", and the National Security police will follow up on the person making the flower offering.

The act of offering flowers may be a violation of the national security law, the officer said.

Nevertheless, other citizens also laid flowers at the scene despite increased police presence. Their flowers were also quickly cleared away by plainclothes officers.

source: In-Media HK #FirstHand #Jul01

https://bit.ly/3ntDDEk

see also: Mourning activities and police response the day after the attack

Police Cordon Off Sogo Department Store to Prevent Hongkongers from Mourning Fellow Citizen
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30367

Defiant #Hongkongers continue to show respect despite tightened police grip
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30396

Police disrespectfully take away flowers for Deceased Civilian from the altar
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/30395

#LeungKinFai #Remembrance #PoliceState

Police Took Down Identities of Journalists who Reported on Mourning for #LeungKinFai

A typhoon 8 warning was declared around 7pm on July 1. Large number of police vehicles and officers had been deployed to the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay, the site of Leung Kin-Fai's knife attack on a policce officer last year. The store itself had closed its doors by 7:30 due to the approaching typhoon.

Around 8:30, a large group of officers suddenly rushed at nearby journalists and surrounded them with cordons. The journalists were warned to stop taking photos and stop all live videos. Even journalists posted across the street were not spared; all who had been reporting and photographing the scene of mourning will be detained and had their identity taken down, an officer said. Any who did not cooperate would be considered to be "obstructing police", he added.

Earlier, a wheelchair-bound citizen who passed by was stopped and searched by more than 10 officers. Police extended their cordon to include the crosswalk outside Sogo.

source: #FirstHand #Jul01

see also:
Flowers Offered to #LeungKinFai on anniversary of Knife Attack; Offering May Violate National Security Law, Police Warned

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32960

#PoliceState #PressFreedom

British lawyers defending Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai say they have received threats

//Barristers from a British law firm who are representing jailed Hong Kong tycoon and democracy campaigner #JimmyLai said on July 7, 2022 they had received anonymous e-mails warning them against travelling to the city to defend him.

Lai is among the most prominent people in Hong Kong to be charged under a #National SecurityLaw that Beijing imposed in June 2020 to punish terrorism, collusion with foreign forces, subversion and secession with possible life imprisonment.

The barristers - Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Jonathan Price and Jennifer Robinson from Doughty Street Chambers - told Reuters the messages came from a generic Gmail address.

"A person that refuses to abide by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region could be extradited...from other jurisdictions. Foreign nationals will be charged with the offences of subversion," one of the e-mails said. "You have been warned not to attempt entry or land in Chinese territory."

The barristers declined to say if they would be travelling to Hong Kong for the trial.

"Threatening journalists, campaigners and lawyers within Hong Kong has been happening for some time," the barristers said in an e-mail.

"Now these intimidatory tactics are spreading outside the borders of China and Hong Kong."

Police said in a statement they were concerned about the media reports and "strongly condemn the act of impersonating police officers". They appealed to those concerned to provide further information.

The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the barristers would be allowed to enter Hong Kong.

Baroness Helena Kennedy, Director of the International Bar Association's Institute of Fundamental Rights, condemned what she said was an act of intimidation.

"Intimidating the lawyers who act for citizens pursuing freedom and democracy is the tactic of an authoritarian regime," she said.

"Jimmy Lai's right to instruct international lawyers of his choice is fundamental to a fair trial. The Hong Kong authorities seem to have abandoned the values which underpin the rule of law."//

Source: Reuters #Jul7
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/british-lawyers-defending-hong-kong-tycoon-say-they-receive-threats-2022-07-07/

#PoliceState #CCP #Intimidation #FairTrial #Lawyer #Court #AppleDaily #NextMedia

#Court #PoliceState
66-year-old #GrandmaWong sentenced to 32-week jail after waving Union Jack Flag in Hong Kong

Source: InMedia #Jul13

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️

#Court #PoliceState
66-year-old #GrandmaWong sentenced to 32-week jail after waving Union Jack Flag in Hong Kong

On 13 July, 2022, 66-year-old Wong Fung-yiu, known as “Grandma Wong”, a pro-democracy Hongkonger, pleads guilty to unlawful assembly and is sentenced to 32 weeks imprisonment for waving the Union Jack flag in Hong Kong. She claims that she was interrogated by China's Public Security authorities two days after the flag waving incident.

“Grandma Wong” was charged for two counts of unlawful assembly in August 2019 at Quarry Bay Station and Taikoo Station, waving the Union Jack flag at demonstrations and verbally abusing the police.

In February 2022, Grandma Wong pleaded not guilty and initiated to cancel her bail. She was escorted to the Eastern Magistrates' Courts on 13 July, 2022. During trial, she was not happy with the “snail speed” of the trial and thus changed her plea, stating “I will take the rap” as she does not want to die in jail like Liu Xiaobo [deceased Nobel Peace Prize winner]. She was jailed for 32 weeks by magistrate Ada Yim.

Furthermore, Grandma Wong revealed that she went to China two days after the flag waving incident and was detained by the local “Public Security” for 40 days interrogating her about her case. Magistrate Yim raised questions about this and the prosecutor responded that they could contact the mainland police but it might take three to four months to get a reply. Defendant Grandma Wong indicated there was no need to wait. In the end, magistrate Yim pointed out that the defendant had not been prosecuted elsewhere, thus the sentence would not be commuted.

Source: InMedia #Jul13
https://bit.ly/3c4gAgR

#PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoner #AntiELAB #UnionJack

#HongKong Bashes #GlobalMedia With Hundreds of Complaint Letters

//From Slovakia to Japan, top Hong Kong officials have fired off at least 500 letters in 2022 blasting critical foreign media coverage, as the city wages a global battle to safeguard its reputation as a liberal financial hub.

At least 174 media outlets in almost 30 countries received missives from city leaders -- including its now chief executive, #JohnLee -- since China announced in May 2020 that it would impose a national security law on the former British colony. The correspondence, often written both in English and the publication’s native language, was uploaded to the “Clarifications” tab of the government’s communications platform known as Brand Hong Kong.

About half of the letters, which responded to a mix of reports and editorials, hit back at criticism of Beijing’s sweeping security law, while roughly a third defended a mandate that only Communist Party loyalists can hold office in the city. Neighboring Asian nations got 42% of the complaints, led by Japan and South Korea, while business publications including the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Economist got the most letters. Bloomberg received seven...

Hong Kong’s crackdown on freedoms has eroded the city’s reputation among many foreign governments...

Hong Kong’s press freedom ranking has plummeted since the security law clamped down on free speech. The city came 148 in the Reporters Without Borders 2022 World Press Freedom Index, representing a fall of 68 places from last year.//

Source: Bloomberg #Jul25
https://t.co/OHZN4fVjye

#Whitewash #Censorship #PressFreedom #NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #Authoritarianism

#Court
Student Activists from #StudentPoliticism plead guilty to "conspiring to incite subversion"

Four former members of the now-disbanded pro-democracy group "Student Politicism" were charged with "conspiring to incite subversion". Former convenor Wong Yat-chin (aged 21), ex-secretary general Chan Chi-sum (aged 21), and ex-spokespersons Jessica Chu (aged 19) and Alice Wong (aged 20) were presented at the District Court in Hong Kong on July 29, 2022. They pleaded guilty.

Apart from Chu, the other three members have been detained for more than 10 months.

They were prosecuted for holding street booths on seven occasions between October 2020 and June 2021. The prosecution alleged that the group called on fellow citizens to "keep on fighting" and chanted the slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our times".

Source: InMedia #Jul29
https://bit.ly/3Q0eZr8

#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliticalPrisoner #PoliceState

#Court
Man who Posted Video of Olympic Gold Ceremony with "Glory to Hong Kong" Now Charged with "Insulting National Anthem of China"

When Hong Kong fencer #CheungKaLong won a #GoldMedal at the #TokyoOlympics in July 2021, many Hongkongers were overjoyed. Among them, a 27-year-old man published a video of the medal ceremony on the Internet, replacing the audio of China's national anthem with "Glory to Hong Kong," an anthem of the 2019 #AntiELAB movement.

One year later, the man was now charged with "insulting the national anthem of China" and "insulting the emblem of the Hong Kong SAR."

The case was heard in the Eastern Magistrates on July 22, 2022. The man was not represented by any counsel. The magistrate accepted the man's request to postpone the hearing to September 2, 2022, so that the man can look for a lawyer.

Source: InMedia #Jul22
https://bit.ly/3aVGjYS

#NationalAnthemOrdinance #PoliceState #Censorship #GlorytoHongKong #Sport #OnlineVideo #HongKongAthlete

#Report: Security concerns over compulsory app launched by Hong Kong government

This is part of a report published by #TechOpenFund on July 27, 2022. The investigation was conducted by #7ASecurity and #OTFRedTeamLab in 2022:

//...This exercise involved both a privacy audit and a security audit of the #LeaveHomeSafe #Android and #iOS apps.

The privacy audit could not conclusively prove malicious intent or unauthorized tracking of Hong Kong citizens. However, the security audit demonstrated that these applications have not been professionally audited by any competent security firm before, and that significant flaws exist in the current software security development lifecycle.

This is particularly concerning given that the app was originally introduced more than a year and a half ago, was made mandatory in some fashion for 9 months and recently began requesting real name registration and tracking user’s movements.

While no clear privacy violation could be conclusively proven during the audit at runtime, a number of application artifacts, likely inherited from underlying dependencies or simply security vulnerabilities introduced by mistake, were found during this exercise.//

Read the full article:
https://www.opentech.fund/news/7asecurity-otf-red-team-lab-partner-completes-blackbox-pentest-and-privacy-audit-of-leavehomesafe-app/

Source: Open Tech Fund #Jul27

#MassSurveillance #Track #Privacy #App #PoliceState #Pandemic

#Save12
Chinese Prison Penalises Hongkonger for "Failing" Mindset, Lawyer: May Loss Communication Right

#TangKaiYin, one of the 12 pro-democracy Hongkongers who tried to flee to Taiwan but was captured by the Chinese authorities, is serving a prison sentence in Conghua in China.

His family in Hong Kong said they had not received any letters from him since February, 2022, and he did not collect letters sent to him.

Tang's brother checked the prison's online system yesterday and found that Tang still has a few transactions in June and July, 2021. But his prison score was deducted twice for "violating the rule," including "failing to pass the ideological, cultural and technical learning assessment for that month."

A China human rights lawyer, who has assisted these 12 Hongkongers, told #InMedia that prisoners who are not willing to plead guilty or "accept the mind conversion" might be forbidden from receiving letters and may be further deprived of consumption or communication rights.

According to the lawyer's analysis, not receiving letters, in this case, may not be related to plead of guilt, as Tang had already been sentenced earlier. It is more likely because he doesn't change his mind, "something like indoctrination, perhaps some kind of non-cooperation," he said.

In addition, prisoners sent to prison hospitals due to illness or physical punishment would not be allowed to receive or write letters, "It is also possible that he cannot write letters because of his health condition," the lawyer explained.

Source: InMedia #Jul28
https://bit.ly/3Jcs6mL

#12Hongkongers #China #PoliticalPrisoner #PoliceState #HumanRights #ThoughtPolice

#Court
Hong Kong court quashes decision to enforce reporting ban on activist’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 magistrate’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 group’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 Kong’s annual candlelight vigils commemorating victims of the #TiananmenCrackdown, where it is estimated that hundreds, perhaps thousands, died when the People’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

#Court
High Court Judge Claims First Aiders "Encourage" Fighting, as First Aider Appeals 4-Year Rioting Sentence

In Hong Kong, the High Court has heard an appeal against the conviction of a 26-year-old man sentenced to four years for rioting in a 2019 #AntiELAB protest.

The man is one of 16 charged with rioting in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai on 31 August 2019, the fifth anniversary of the Chinese congress’ ’31 August decision’ to limit candidacy and representation in Hong Kong’s elections.

While six of the accused were acquitted, the man, who maintained that he was volunteering as a #FirstAider on the scene, was found guilty and handed a four-year sentence in 2021. He has now been incarcerated for over two years.

Citing the Lo Kin-man case, the appellate judge Derek Pang said on 28 July that a first aider can still be considered to have had a part in the riot.

“[Let’s say] you show up in a battle in a certain country’s military uniform. You have a red cross on your arm, and you’re a medic. Does that mean you’re not part of the frontline fighting? Isn’t that still a kind of support or encouragement?” Mr Pang said.

He added that helping someone of the same side in a riot to wash tear gas out their eyes is also a form of support. The appellant, he said, must have acted with the same purpose in mind as the rest of his camp.

“Why is it that you can’t possibly be one of the rioters if you’re a first aider? It’s not like you were with St John [Ambulance], is it?” Mr Pang said.

The prosecutor said it is for the court to decide if the appellant was a genuine first aider.

“A mere claim of having been a first aider [on the scene] doesn’t give one immunity,” she said.

Source: InMedia #Jul28
https://bit.ly/3S4TFTh

#HongKongProtests #PoliceState #FirstAider #PoliticalPersecution #Crackdown

#PoliceBrutality #PoliceState
What is the Truth that Hong Kong Police are trying to conceal

831 Prince Edward Attack remains one of the most remembered incidents of the year-long pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong in 2019.

The incident took place in Prince Edward subway station in late evening of August 31 2019, when large groups of riot police stormed into train cabinets, where they brutally attacked train passengers who were on their way home.

For hours, the subway station was shut from public entry, including journalists and even medics.

The media condemned police brutality against unarmed civilians and the general public demanded for disclosure of CCTV footage at the train station, hoping that police would be held responsible for use of excessive force.

Hong Kong Police, however, denied beating civilians and reaffirmed using appropriate force.

Three years on, defiant Hongkongers continued to seek for the truth of #831PrinceEdwardAttack despite threats and arrests for act of remembrance at the station. 

This year, Hong Kong Police even put up a large wall poster outside the Prince Edward station. Against a blue background, it wrote "Don't be misled by lies." "Believe and See Truth in Facts".

On August 31 2022, dozens of uniformed police and plainclothes officers were seen deployed outside the Prince Edward station on a peaceful day. 

One may wonder what makes act of remembrance of #831Attack a crime? What does Hong Kong police want to cover up so desperately?

Source: Renews; #Aug31

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02WfHRYvJ1rE3yXo4iwjdrTLkj6udgyPozNrYa34YpaNY6RsPxP9hTZb5Z9Pnq4DfLl&id=104007775607135&mibextid=t3xTKS

#FirstHand #Sept7
Police Arrests Hong Kong Journalists Association's Chair

On September 7, 2022, veteran journalist and chairman of Hong Kong Journalists Association (#HKJA) #RonsonChan was arrested in Hong Kong for "obstructing police officers and disorder in public place".

It was reported that Chan and a photographer were on their way to a press briefing in Mong Kok, where they were intercepted by two plainclothes police officers for no apparent reason.

As Chan asked the officers for
police ID, they refused and accused Chan of being not cooperative. Within minutes, he was warned for multiple times and arrested.

Before mid-night, Chan was released on bail after being held at the Mong Kok police station for about 11 hours.

In an interview with local press, Chan told reporters that one of the police officers scoffed at him, "HKJA is trash". Later, he also taunted that "when will you die?"

Chan recited that his wrist was being forcefully held together, leaving a visible bruise mark.

Source: #FirstHand #Sept7

#PoliceState #Journalism #PressFreedom

HK Police Forced Restaurant to Stop Business and Take Down "Sensitive" Wishing Notes

Hong Kong police had forced a noodle shop to suspend business until it removes customers' wishing notes with "sensitive wordings".

The restaurant, Betsutenjin Hakata Ramen in Tsim Sha Tsui, had a wall where customers could write their wishes on stickers resembling prayer plaques at Japanese shrines. Many wishes were related to the 2019 #AntiELAB protests, and the pro-democracy shop owner had left them up in the two years since as a record of the times.

However, police received a tip from a woman who alleged that the shop was displaying slogans that violate the #NationalSecurityLaw, Officers arrived and verbally warned the owner, who agreed to remove the offending messages on their own. Police listed the incident under "miscellaneous" and made no arrests, nor sent the National Security Department for follow-up.

Restaurant staff told Ming Pao that police had visited during the busy dinner hours, and demanded customers to leave the shop immediately. The staff had since removed over a hundred notes and resumed business the next day. The notes had only been used for decoration, they said, and no new notes had been added since the National Security Law came into effect in 2020.

The shop apologized to its customers with a Facebook post for having to take down its wishing wall after persisting for 3 years. The staff had read every single wish left by the customers, the post said; "We will not forget a single word from everyone."

From previous photos on the shop's Facebook page, some customers' wishing notes included "disband the police", "China implode", and "6.12" [ed: commemorating the date when protesters stopped the passing of the ELAB bill]. After the police visit, only a few stickers remain that read, "Hong Kong, add oil."

Source: Ming Pao #Nov16

https://bit.ly/3CMXOoF

Betsutenjin Hakata Ramen Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/ramenbetsu/posts/pfbid0GUZuVz89q1BA1LZLBw3aWMgPBQXjtgm4Wmqx2JZuhsuGP8C2vHmJ9nr8siew9U2ql

#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #harassment #suppression #YellowEconomy