T.It rang on the phone on Friday, a month earlier than expected. More than 50 pro-democracy politicians and activists in Hong Kong received a call from officials: they were to report to police on Sunday.
Many spent the weekend preparing for the final minutes, expecting to be charged and arrested for lengthy prison terms. They picked up books to take into custody, arranged for pets to be cared for, said goodbye to their loved ones. Tiffany UN, 27, was sitting at home that day, where she had a photo Cuddling a buzz lightwire toy, Before visiting the component in the tin van.
“When the police called, I knew it was bad news,” said one man who quietly hugged her baby most weekends. “I probably won’t be able to hold my baby for several years. I said: ‘You haven’t seen Dad in years. You have to be brave and take care of mom. ‘
“I never thought this would happen,” he said, adding that his comments would be used as further evidence against him under national security law. The law, introduced in Hong Kong in June, penalizes acts such as backwardness, scattering, alliances with foreign armies or life imprisonment in prison by the authorities.
“I don’t know what kind of one-country-two systems this is,” he said, referring to Hong Kong’s policy of supporting independence and rights under Chinese rule after the 1997 acquisition of sovereignty.
“Now, the most polite forms of protest – chanting slogans and wearing masks of a certain color – are seen as possible violations of national security law.” “The red line is constantly changing – we feel very insecure.”
January A paro in January. The raid, which shocked the whole of Hong Kong, led to the arrest of Hong 55 Hong Kong pro-democracy figures, from former legislators, local district councilors to young campaigners and activists, in connection with last year’s primary polls. The only major operation under the controversial National Security Act Beijing imposed on Hong Kong last year was speeding up police.
On Sunday, Hong Kong police charged 47 people with conspiracy to commit vandalism, and placed them in custody before they appear in court on Monday. The plaintiff alleges that he planned to select a candidate who could win a majority of the legislature’s seats in the election – then postponed by the government – and then block the haphazard law to “paralyze” parliament and force the resignation of the chief executive.
He was taken into custody after attending a marathon bail hearing that lasted several weeks. Some fainted from exhaustion while some complained that they could not change clothes for several days.
To show his eligibility for bail, some prominent political figures announced their departure from the democratic political party. On Thursday, Judge 32 denied bail. As of Friday, 11 of the 15 remaining on the government’s urgent appeal remained in bail custody. Those denied bail include politicians Te Claudia Moe, Eddie Chu and Gary Fan, who were often criticized by small activists for being too moderate.
The judge barred the media from reporting on the arguments made by both the parties during the bail hearing, during which the defendants made speeches that brought tears to the eyes of families and journalists.
He has been charged with “conspiracy to usurp state power”, with up to 47 years in prison if convicted. Eight people, including American lawyer John Clancy, pro-democracy lawmakers James Two and Roy Kwong, have not yet been charged, and their bail was extended until May 4.
Almost every major voice of dissent in Hong Kong from this operation is now in custody or jail.
The head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Xia Baolong, was suddenly detained a few days later after he said he had “opposed China and spread chaos in Hong Kong” and should be removed from public office. Xia said at a high-level symposium on February 22 that “extremely wicked people”, including detained Apple Paul Daily founder Jimmy Lai, law educator Benny Tai and jailed activist Joshua Wong, should also be “severely punished,” according to a published transcript. By Beijing-backed Bauhinia Magazine. Chinese officials insisted the new laws would ensure that only “patriots” could rule Hong Kong.
The speed and intensity of the harassment at the pro-democracy camp has shocked even the most experienced politicians. Many assumed that the national security law would initially only target those involved in violent protests, or freedom advocates, and believed that China would tolerate some pro-democracy politicians for the sake of window-dressing.
“It was a big surprise,” said John Clancy, an American lawyer who came to Hong Kong as a Catholic priest 50 years ago. “I never knew this.”
“Obviously they clearly say they only want patriotic people to rule Hong Kong,… they want to rule anyone out of the democratic camp,” Clancy said, who was the first foreign national detained under a huge national security law. He was serving as treasurer of the Power of Democracy, which was the organizer of the primary.
‘A free and safe city is in decline’
Since the enactment of the National Security Act, authorities have stepped up pressure on the judiciary, media, schools and universities, and largely on civil society, including churches and NGOs, as Beijing-backed media have increasingly attacked judges, professors, and school teachers. And church pastors are seen as pro-democracy.
Emily Lou, a pro-democracy politician and former president of the Democratic Party, mourns the muting of dissenting voices in the city, which at one time prided itself on being the gution of freedom in the region.
“Hong Kong we know it collapses before our eyes,” Lou said. “It is disappointing to see a once-living, free and safe city deteriorating in its current state.”
“Beijing may decide to voice differences, but it will be a big mistake. Allowing different voices in Hong Kong is part of the city’s power and shows that Beijing is willing to tolerate anti-Semitism. “
As the National People’s Congress convenes its annual meeting in Beijing this week, officials say the main focus is to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system to ensure that the city is run by “patriots.”
Kenneth Chen, a professor of political science at Hong Kong Baptist University, said the shortage would send a message to the world that “the ‘one country, two systems’ policy has been abruptly repealed.”
He said there was no limit to any democratic dictatorship campaign to bring the city under full control for ‘political purity’.
“We now have ‘trials’ to set an example of how the party-state struggles with fighters and enemies … Making political conflict ‘legal’ is a Leninist legal tradition through which the Chinese government looks at the law. A tool to simplify the agenda, “he said, referring to the party’s mandate.” Implementing the law is to implement the party’s will. “
“The message to the world is that there will be no pressure from the Western coalition on human rights violations in Beijing, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, etc.,” said Willie Lam, an assistant professor at a Chinese university in Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, many are still protesting outside the courtroom this week, shouting “Give us justice!” Proceed by chanting slogans. Amid heavy police presence.
“You can’t live with fear … I won’t stop working because of fear,” Clancy said. “In perfect love, no fear.”
