Tag: National security law

Banning ‘Liberate Hong Kong’ slogan was govt’s worst mistake: Co-author
16Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Banning ‘Liberate Hong Kong’ slogan was govt’s worst mistake: Co-author

The slogan ‘Liberate Hong Kong: the revolution of our times’ has now been banned by the authorities and the slogan co-author has said that the ban was one of the government's worst mistake in handling the political unrest.The infamous slogan was created by ex localist leader Edward Leung, ousted lawmaker Baggie Leung and former member of party Youngspiration who asked to be known as J.The slogan first gained popularity during the anti-extradition law movement last in July last year in Sheung Wan.“The 'Liberate Hong Kong' flag was first waved in Sha Tin's New Town Plaza on July 14. On July 21 in Sheung Wan, as far as I know, a number of Edward Leung's supporters were at the scene," J was quoted as saying. "They began chanting and the crowd responded fervently," he added.“The government made
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Hong Kong libraries pull out books by pro-democracy activists
16Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Hong Kong libraries pull out books by pro-democracy activists

In the wake of the controversial national security law, Hong Kong libraries have taken out books by pro-democracy figures out of circulation for conducting a review of whether the books run afoul of the new security law.At least nine books written by localist or democracy advocates have become unavailable or marked as "under review" according to media reports.The sweeping legislation, which came into force on June 30 punishes crimes related to secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with punishments of up to life in prison.Bar Association chairman Philip Dykes termed the move “alarming” and said authorities needed to justify restricting the public's right to seek information.The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which manages the city's public libraries,
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Canada expresses concern over Beijing’s national security legislation for Hong Kong
15Jul By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

Canada expresses concern over Beijing’s national security legislation for Hong Kong

Canada has expressed “strong concern” over China's move of passing national security legislation for Hong Kong and updated advisory warning citizens from travelling to the special administrative region citing potential impacts of the new legislation."Canada joins the international community in reiterating its serious concern at the passage of national security legislation for Hong Kong by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China," Canada's foreign minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in a statement.“This legislation was enacted in a secretive process, without the participation of Hong Kong’s legislature, judiciary or people, and in violation of international obligations," the Minister said.The new law is said to criminalize activities supporting secession, sub
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West needs to take definitive action against China’s security law for Hong Kong: Analyst
15Jul By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

West needs to take definitive action against China’s security law for Hong Kong: Analyst

Global Affairs analyst Michael Bociurkiw has said that the Hong Kong security law is a tool deployed by the Chinese government to quash dissent and that just condemning the act is not sufficient, “the West needs to take definitive actions”.Bociurkiw said that Hong Kong, overnight and with no consultation, became a legal and security jurisdiction of China, "denying its citizens the 27 more years of semi-autonomy Beijing had promised under the "one country, two systems" model that was to have been in effect until 2047".“While the world is distracted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the antics of the Trump administration, China has moved to suppress Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement,” he said."This step is consistent with a regime that knows it has to act quickly in the current discombobulated g
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Is Xi’s persecution of China’s Uighur Muslims a genocide in the making?
15Jul By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

Is Xi’s persecution of China’s Uighur Muslims a genocide in the making?

From the mid-1970s Deng Xiaoping and his successors sought consensus at home and trade and rapprochement with the west after the abominations of Mao’s “cultural revolution”. There was a golden moment when even this one-party state might have been negotiable, but it was tragically crushed when the tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989.Even then, however, it was tyranny tempered by trade, capitalism and a degree of circumspection, including term limits on communist party bosses. By contrast, XI is an unfettered emperor in the tradition of Mao.The world now faces not a pragmatic one-party state but a doctrinaire one-man dictatorship. And the dictator, into his second decade of power, is determined to stamp out latent as well as actual dissent, even at the price of western trade an
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Hong Kong Police arrest over 370 protestors a day after China passes security law
13Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Hong Kong Police arrest over 370 protestors a day after China passes security law

About 370 protestors were arrested in Hong Kong on July 1 for participating in the pro-democracy march just one day after China passed the national security law.On the annual July 1 pro-democracy march, the Hong Kong Police deployed water cannon truck, pepper balls, and tear gas to quell the demonstrators. Ten people were apprehended for allegedly breaking the national security law.The new law came into force late night on June 30, hours after the top decision making body of China’s parliament passed the controversial legislation.The protests took place across Causeway Bay and Wan Chai. The protesters chanted "five demands, not one less" and sang the pro-democracy anthem "Glory to Hong Kong."To muzzle the voices of pro-democracy protesters, the Hong Kong Police had earlier put a ban on the
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Joshua Wong, other leaders of Hong Kong pro-democracy group step down China passes security law
12Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Joshua Wong, other leaders of Hong Kong pro-democracy group step down China passes security law

Hong Kong pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, Jeffrey Ngo and Agnes Chow announced they will disband their group Demosisto, saying that the resignation of several key members in light of the national security law has made it difficult for them to continue their operations.The group announced on Facebook around two hours after China's top legislative body passed its draconian national security law which is set to criminalize secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in Hong Kong.“Demosisto believes it will be difficult for the group to maintain its current operation… members should use more flexible means to join in protests,” the group wrote on Facebook.“[We] now announce to disband immediately on this day and suspend all committee affairs.”The group was founde
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China passes controversial national security law for Hong Kong
10Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

China passes controversial national security law for Hong Kong

China’s parliament passed national security legislation for Hong Kong at exactly 11 p.m. local time on 30 June, which many fear would make it easier to override existing legal processes and reduce the city's autonomy.According to media reports, the details of the law's 66 articles were kept secret until after it was unanimously passed by the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress at 11 p.m., an hour before the 23rd anniversary of the city's handover to China from British rule.The legislation dramatically broadens Beijing's powers to investigate, prosecute and punish suspected criminals in Hong Kong.With the law being passed, Beijing is now further pushed along a collision course with the United States, Britain and other Western governments, which have said it erodes the h
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Riot police stop peaceful protest in Hong Kong against national security law
9Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Riot police stop peaceful protest in Hong Kong against national security law

Hong Kong riot police on June 28 stopped a protest where pro-democracy protestors had vowed to walk silently from Jordan to Mong Kok to demonstrate against impending Hong Kong security law.The police closed down pedestrian access to the Gascoigne Road and Nathan Road junction. Earlier, police raised a blue warning flag at the intersection of Nathan Road and Dundas Street in Mong Kok, warning crowds that they could be seen as participating in an unlawful assembly.A day before, Hong Kong police banned a major demonstration against China's planned national security law for the city citing coronavirus social distancing measures and previous unrest.The proposed national security law has raised concerns among Hong Kong democracy activists and some foreign governments that Beijing is further erod...
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China’s national security law to cost Hong Kong its financial hub tag
9Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

China’s national security law to cost Hong Kong its financial hub tag

As China continues to push ahead with the implementation of its draconian national security law on Hong Kong, it is speculated that the city will soon lose its attractiveness as the most sought after financial destination.According to a report, the foreign firms in Hong Kong have already started looking out for options in other Asian countries as they fear the national security law will end the city's autonomy and freedom, which have been crucial to the city becoming a financial hub.Beijing says the law, which comes in response to last year’s often-violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, aims to tackle subversion, terrorism, separatism and collusion with foreign forces.Though Beijing has claimed that the security law is only aimed at restoring stability in the city, the foreign firms
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