Tag: protests

Hong Kong’s top cop overshadows city Chief as China cracks down with its security law
20Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Hong Kong’s top cop overshadows city Chief as China cracks down with its security law

Hong Kong’s combative police Chief Chris Tang has, from the beginning, a law which has rocked the financial hub of Asia this year with several protests. He says, the new national security legislation was needed to extinguish calls for the city’s independence and restore order.On June 30th, he got his wish. Just an hour before the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China on July 1, the Communist Party of China imposed the law, arming Tang with a range of powerful tools to quell popular dissent. And within 24 hours, Tang’s officers had arrested 10 people under the new law along with about 360 others suspected of existing offenses as protests erupted over Beijing’s move.With the legislation in action, political groups disbanded. Activists fled overseas. Shops ripped down posters supp
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Protestors demand release of Canadians detained by China
15Jul By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

Protestors demand release of Canadians detained by China

Protestors from the Vancouver-based ‘Friends of India’ organization gathered outside the Chinese consulate in Vancouver on July 4, calling for the release of detained Canadians - Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig - who have been held in China for more than a year.China is holding two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, since their arrest in December 2018, on national-security charges that Ottawa considers retaliation for the arrest of Huawei''s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver in 2018 on a US extradition warrant.Beijing was incensed over Meng’s arrest and demanded her immediate release, but Canada did not comply. Ten days later, Kovrig and Spavor were arrested.The demonstrators carried placards that read “We stand with India” and “China against democracy”. Some o
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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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Protests held against illegal detention of Baloch political leaders by Pak security agencies
9Jul By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Protests held against illegal detention of Baloch political leaders by Pak security agencies

Illegal and forced abduction of Baloch political leaders and intellectuals by Pakistan intelligence agencies saw widespread demonstrations being held in Pakistan’s Balochistan province as well Germany on June 28.Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, a non-governmental organization in Balochistan’s Quetta city demanded the release of abducted Dr Deen Mohammad Baloch and Dr Akbar Marri.According to sources, hundreds of people gathered on the streets of Quetta for protest marking Dr Deen Mohammad Baloch's abduction 11 years ago.A huge number of Baloch women including Dr Deen Mohammad's Daughter Sammi and Mehlab Deen, men and students participated in the protest. The protesters demanded immediate release of Dr Deen Jan and Dr Akbari Marri and all other missing persons.Similarly, the Baloch Nationa
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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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Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders concerned over prospect of indefinite detention without trial under new security law
2Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders concerned over prospect of indefinite detention without trial under new security law

Amid incessant protests in defiance of sweeping security legislation introduced by China, Hong Kong democrats have now voiced concern over the security secretary’s failure to clarify whether suspects arrested under the impending national security law could be detained indefinitely without trial or charge.Officials in China have remained tight-lipped on the matter with Hong King's Secretary for Security John Lee seen clearly evading reporter’s question to confirm reports that arrested persons may be held in special detention centres for however long authorities like, in violation of international human rights laws."We have to wait until the proper promulgation of the law so that we will know exactly what the law says and requires us to do," Lee was quoted as saying."The preparation work is
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Police detain protesters at busy Hong Kong mall during Dragon Boat Festival
2Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Police detain protesters at busy Hong Kong mall during Dragon Boat Festival

Hong Kong police dispersed dozens of protesters who gathered at the Yuen Long shopping center on June 23, which marks the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the Hong Kong Police Force said."On #DragonBoatFestival, dozens of protestors are staging a protest inside a shopping mall in #YuenLong, disrupting families and shoppers. Police dispersal and arrest operations are underway. Disperse peacefully. #HKProtest," the police wrote on Twitter.City-wide protests have been taking place sporadically in Hong Kong since June 2019, with protesters claiming to oppose China's increasing influence on the special administrative region.The latest wave of protests was caused by a security bill specially tailored by Beijing for Hong Kong."#HKPolice strongly condemn the groundless and malicious accusatio...
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Hong Kongers flee to other countries fearing persecution as China pushes national security law
2Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Hong Kongers flee to other countries fearing persecution as China pushes national security law

With China all set to implement its draconian national security law on Hong Kong, the residents are making preparations to flee to Taiwan and other countries fearing persecution.According to reports, since last year, the number of applications for police certificates required to migrate to some other country has soared almost 80 per cent to nearly 21,000 in the latter half of 2019 from a year earlier.The protesters fearing persecution are also seeking refuge in Germany, the Netherlands and the United States.“You don’t know what they can accuse you of under the new law…Would joining a strike be considered a subversion of state?” Ho, a nurse at a hospital rehabilitation ward in Hong Kong said.She had joined a protest urging the pro-China government to close it borders with China amid coronav
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Protesting students arrested for demanding internet facilities Quetta
30Jun By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Protesting students arrested for demanding internet facilities Quetta

The police in Pakistan’s Balochistan province arrested over two dozen students while they staged a protest from Quetta Press Club to Balochistan Assembly, demanding access to internet for online classes.The students have been staging a demonstration in Quetta for the past few weeks under the banner of Baloch Students Alliance. They are protesting against online classes in universities across the province.“We were protesting for the availability of internet for online classes,” said Mahrang Baloch, an activist and student leader, who was among the arrested female students.According to a police officer the students tried to organize a rally in the city when there is a complete ban on every kind of gathering as section 144 is imposed. The arrested students were shifted to different police sta
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Security law puts Hong Kong pastors at risk of being extradited to China: Watchdog
29Jun By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China, Opinion

Security law puts Hong Kong pastors at risk of being extradited to China: Watchdog

As China plans to go ahead with the imposition of draconian national security law on Hong Kong, pastors including pro-democracy activists and religious leaders face a risk of being extradited to mainland China for trial, a US-based Christian watchdog has warned."Under such laws, vocal Hong Kong clergy who have been supportive of Hong Kong's democracy movement, such as Cardinal Joseph Zen and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, could be extradited to mainland China to be tried, since Beijing considers them to be threats to the regime," International Christian Concern (ICC) said in a statement."Other hundreds of protestant leaders or Christian organizations who have actively spoken out against the Hong Kong government might face the same fate, since Beijing has said it considers the mass p...
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