Silence for Hong Kong
Commentary
On Jan. 7 in the early morning, Hong Kong National Security Department dispatched more than 1,000 police to raid multiple homes and offices, and arrested 53 Hong Kong pan-democratic political activists. In March, the Hong Kong Department of Justice prosecuted 47 of them, accusing them of subverting state power, a charge based on the latest Hong Kong National Security Law.
Among those indicted are Martin Lee Chu-ming, Hong Kong’s retired senior counsel, the founder of the United Democrats of Hong Kong, a former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo), and a member of the Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee; Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, the owner of the Hong Kong liberal media Apple Daily; Lee Cheuk-yan, a famous Hong Kong trade union organizer, former Legislative Council member, and one of the Hong Kong Labour Party founders; Benny Tai Yiu-ting, former associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong; and young political activist J
Hong Kong court grants bail to fifth activist, jails another
Updated:
Updated:
March 11, 2021 13:25 IST
They’re part of a group of 47 activists and former lawmakers who were arrested over their involvement in an unofficial primary election last year.
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Helena Wong. File
They’re part of a group of 47 activists and former lawmakers who were arrested over their involvement in an unofficial primary election last year. A Hong Kong court on Thursday granted bail to a fifth pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker but revoked bail for another, after both were charged with subversion under the national security law.
They’re part of a group of 47 activists and former lawmakers who were arrested over their involvement in an unofficial primary election last year, aimed at determining the strongest candidates in a legislative election that was later postponed due to the pandemic.
Hundreds of Hong Kong Civil Servants May Lose Jobs for Refusing to Pledge Allegiance to CCP
Many public servants in Hong Kong may be forced to quit their jobs because they refused to pledge an oath of loyalty to the Chinese regime.
All Hong Kong civil servants were required to take an oath or sign a declaration to uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) by the end of February.
On March 8, Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, the secretary for the Civil Service, stated in a press conference that nearly 200 civil servants are about to leave their jobs as they have refused to sign the declaration and pledge of allegiance.
The Globe and Mail Yew Lun Tian and Marius Zaharia BEIJING and HONG KONG Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account
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TYRONE SIU/Reuters
China’s parliament approved on Thursday a draft decision to change Hong Kong’s electoral system, further reducing democratic representation in the city’s institutions and introducing a mechanism to vet politicians’ loyalty to Beijing.
The measures are part of Beijing’s efforts to consolidate its increasingly authoritarian grip over the global financial hub following the imposition of a national security law in June, which critics see as a tool to crush dissent.