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Hong Kong’s nationwide safety purge reveals no indicators of slowing down, two and a half years after Beijing’s Nationwide Safety Regulation was pressured via the territory’s legislature. The federal government’s newest authorized pursuits have focused former Apple Every day employees members and rugby followers, whose actions are apparently now thought of a menace to the town’s security. Kanis Leung from the Related Press reported on the current convictions within the Apple Every day case:
The employees members of Apple Every day have been arrested final 12 months throughout a crackdown on dissent after Beijing imposed the sweeping safety regulation in response to the widespread anti-government protests in 2019. They have been charged with conspiracy to commit collusion with international forces to hazard nationwide safety.
[…] Writer Cheung Kim-hung, related writer Chan Pui-man, Editor-in-Chief Ryan Regulation, Government Editor-in-Chief Lam Man-chung, and editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee, admitted that they had conspired with the newspaper’s founder Jimmy Lai to name for an imposition of sanctions or blockade, or have interaction in different hostile actions towards Hong Kong or China. [Source]
In keeping with the prosecution, the six former employees members coordinated with Jimmy Lai to publish information or “content material purporting to be information,” together with 161 allegedly seditious articles meant to “sway public opinion.” Prosecutor Anthony Chau Tin-hang didn’t clarify which components of these articles constituted a seditious offense, and the courtroom discovered it “very wise” that such particulars must be stored secret till Lai’s trial. The case was heard by three handpicked nationwide safety judges, who will announce the six former employees members’ sentences on the finish of Jimmy Lai’s month-long trial, set to begin on December 1. Brian Wong from the South China Morning Put up identified that the six former employees members pleaded responsible and agreed to testify towards Lai with a purpose to keep away from the danger of longer sentences:
Editor-in-chief Ryan Regulation Wai-kwong, writer Cheung Kim-hung, government editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, affiliate writer Chan Pui-man and editorial writers Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee will obtain lesser penalties for his or her responsible pleas to a cost which is punishable by as much as life imprisonment.
Some could be granted additional remission, because the courtroom heard that a number of of the defendants, together with Cheung and Chan, would assist the prosecution in looking for [Apple Daily founder Jimmy] Lai’s conviction.
[…] They confronted a separate joint rely of “conspiracy to print, publish, promote, supply on the market, distribute, show or reproduce seditious publication” below a colonial-era sedition regulation, with the alleged offence relationship again to April 2019 earlier than the nationwide safety regulation took impact.
[…] The sedition cost towards the six former executives was dropped on situation of their responsible pleas. [Source]
Nationwide safety points additionally discovered their method into the Asia Rugby Sevens Collection final week, in a match between Hong Kong and South Korea. In the course of the opening ceremony in Incheon, South Korea, the track “Glory to Hong Kong” was performed as a substitute of the Chinese language nationwide anthem. The track is strongly related to the 2019 pro-democracy motion and has been all however criminalized in Hong Kong. In September, a person was arrested for sedition for enjoying a rendition of the track on the harmonica at a public gathering to mourn Queen Elizabeth II.
Whereas match organizers in Incheon apologized for the “harmless mistake” made by an intern, the Hong Kong authorities reacted furiously. Chief Government John Lee referred to as it “unacceptable,” and the police launched a prison investigation into the incident. Some pro-Beijing lawmakers alleged “international collusion” and suspected it was a deliberate transfer to “offend Chinese language folks.” Legislator Junius Ho referred to as for the disbandment of the Hong Kong rugby workforce over their “lack of response.” Government Council convenor Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee advised Hong Kong might request that South Korea extradite the suspects concerned. Ronnie Wong, secretary common of the Sports activities Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, referred to as for host international locations to be sanctioned and mentioned he would quickly launch tips instructing athletes on how to reply to such incidents: the workforce captain can be liable for stopping the state of affairs by making a “trip” sign together with his or her arms. As Almond Li from the Hong Kong Free Press reported, the police even arrested a person for sharing a video of the incident on-line and criticizing the federal government:
“The person is suspected of publishing seditious posts that might incite hatred towards the central authorities and the Hong Kong authorities, incite others to make use of violence and incite others to insult the nationwide flag and nationwide anthem on totally different social media platforms,” police mentioned.
[…] The suspect allegedly additionally shared a video of a current South Korean Rugby Sevens recreation, throughout which the protest-related track “Glory to Hong Kong” was performed as Hong Kong’s nationwide anthem, as a substitute of “March of the Volunteers” – the anthem the town shares with China.
The person was mentioned to have thanked South Korea for “recognising Hong Kong’s nationwide anthem,” in line with HK01. [Source]
HK gov mentioned Asia Rugby president flew in to supply apology in individual to the town’s No2 right now for enjoying the incorrect track on the Incheon match
HK nat sec police mentioned they’re charging a 42yo man of sedition tmr. The person reportedly thanked SKorea for “recognising HK’s anthem”
— Xinqi Su 蘇昕琪 (@XinqiSu) November 22, 2022
The organised crime unit of HK Police have met some members of the HK Rugby Union right now, taken their statements and seized related communication data of the union for investigation of three nationwide anthem-related errors in HK Rugby workforce’s matches abroad – Sing Tao https://t.co/5CwhfBfymD pic.twitter.com/DmW4wsIUwK
— Xinqi Su 蘇昕琪 (@XinqiSu) November 21, 2022
Maya Wang from Human Rights Watch argued that the Hong Kong authorities’s aggressive response to the rugby incident might represent transnational repression:
Hong Kong’s Nationwide Safety Regulation may be enforced towards anybody for acts going down wherever, even by South Koreans in South Korea. However any try by Hong Kong authorities to arrest and prosecute folks for exercising their rights to free expression outdoors of the town’s jurisdiction will quantity to a type of transnational repression. Whereas taking part in the incorrect anthem at a sporting occasion could also be knowledgeable embarrassment or a political assertion, it isn’t a recognizable crime. The South Korean authorities ought to publicly push again towards the Hong Kong authorities’s efforts to redefine human rights in South Korea. [Source]
However some Hong Kong artists are efficiently pushing again towards the federal government’s tightening grip over society. On Saturday, quite a few Hong Kong movies and actors acquired awards at Taiwan’s prestigious Gold Horse Movie Competition. Among the many winners have been actors supportive of the 2019 pro-democracy motion and movies impressed by its occasions. Final 12 months, the Hong-Kong-protest-themed “Revolution of Our Occasions” received finest documentary movie on the pageant. Whereas not featured on the pageant, one other critically-acclaimed documentary concerning the protests, “Hong Kong: Metropolis on Hearth,” just lately opened in theaters. Theodora Yu and Vic Chiang from The Washington Put up reported how Hong Kong’s impartial filmmakers are branching out in response to authorities censorship at house:
The story behind “Blue Island,” nominated this 12 months for finest documentary characteristic at Taiwan’s prestigious Golden Horse Awards, is the story of how impartial Hong Kong filmmakers are more and more seeking to abroad markets as censorship grows at house.
[…] The film reveals “the actual Hong Kong, its environment and the way locals in addition to the diaspora face such enormous modifications,” defined [Director Chan Tze-woon]. A mixture of documentary and drama that follows activists of various generations as they wrestle to hunt and preserve their freedoms, it was a featured choice within the London, Toronto and Rotterdam movie festivals and can be distributed in Taiwan in December.
“I hope the youthful technology of filmmakers can really feel that we’re not alone, that we don’t essentially have to pursue the industrial path and undergo official censorship,” Chan mentioned. “We will pioneer and forge our personal paths in pursuit of free filmmaking.” [Source]
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