TOP NEWS
Amnesty International has declared Jimmy Lai, the former owner of the Apple Daily newspaper, fellow Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung and Ding Jiaxi from mainland China as “Prisoners of Conscience” and called for their immediate release.
Authorities targeted Jimmy Lai and Chow Hang-tung after the introduction of Hong Kong's National Security Law in 2020, with Lai now facing life imprisonment and Chow fighting charges for multiple offenses, including asking her social media followers to light candles in memory of the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Both have also been subjected to repeated and prolonged solitary confinement. Lai, who will turn 77 in December, has been in solitary confinement for nearly four years
Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director said: “By designating Chow, Lai, and Ding as prisoners of conscience, we stand with all those unjustly detained for saying out loud what they believe to be true. All three – along with the many others imprisoned in Hong Kong and mainland China solely for their beliefs – must be immediately and unconditionally released.”
Jimmy Lai, Chow Hang-tung, Ding Jiaxi
Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s security minister Chris Tang has accused former lawmaker Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee of glorifying seditious acts in an opinion piece about the recently jailed editor-in-chief of the closed pro-democracy outlet Stand News. He also warned the Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao, which published her article, against becoming a platform for inciting or supporting illegal activities. Tang’s threats continue the Hong Kong government’s policy of bullying media outlets, often as a prelude to prosecution.
Hong Kong police arrested a man for allegedly damaging decorative lights put up outside the Sheung Shui MTR station to celebrate China’s National Day. The man has been detained pending further investigations.
UK - Hong Kong
Lord Nicholas Phillips has become the fifth judge to step down from Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal this year, following British Law Lords Lawrence Collins and Jonathan Sumption, Australian judge Anthony Gleeson, and Canadian judge Beverley McLachlin. Lord Phillips cited "personal reasons." Lord Collins and Lord Sumpton pointed to the political situation in Hong Kong as their reason for stepping down.
The resignations followed the release of a report by the CFHK Foundation in May calling for foreign judges in Hong Kong to resign. The report, “Lending Prestige to Persecution: How Foreign Judges are Undermining Hong Kong’s Freedoms and Why they Should Quit,” was launched in the British House of Commons.
The CFHK Foundation welcomes the decision by Lord Phillips not to renew his contract with Hong Kong’s top court.
U.S. - Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act (HR 1103), which would force the closure of Hong Kong’s diplomatic outposts in the U.S., passed the House by an overwhelming 413-3 vote in September. The CFHK Foundation is now asking U.S. citizens and residents to go to Call4HK.us, enter their zip code, and use the templates to send an email and tweet to their senators asking them to publicly support a Senate vote on the bill. It is critical that this happen before the end of the year, or we will be back at square one with the new Congress.
More information on the HKETOs can be found here.
U.S. - Hong Kong
Jimmy Lai's trial is expected to resume on November 20th with the defence presenting its case, likely including testimony by Lai himself.
“Justice delayed is justice denied.” Jimmy Lai has been imprisoned for over 1,300 days on national security law charges without a verdict. The trial did not even begin until he had been held for three years and has been characterised by its sluggish pace. Proceedings were expected to be completed this past spring; instead, the defence has not even started to present its evidence. The CFHK Foundation condemns this delay, one which clearly illustrates the erosion of the rule of law in Hong Kong.
Detailed trial updates available here: Support Jimmy Lai
🔥Flame of Freedom Blog
Wing Tat Lee's Perspective: The 2014 Umbrella Movement and Its Influence on Hong Kong's 2019 Protests
This blog is authored by Wing Tat Lee, a former Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, and the former Chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party.
“The scene of firing tear gas, crowd retreating, fumes dispersing, and the crowd marching forward again was repeated over the next 10 hours. Young activists used a new method to protect themselves: umbrellas. Soon a wall of umbrellas appeared as a barrier to resist the tear gas. And so was born the Umbrella Movement.”
Read more here.
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