TOP NEWS
A Hong Kong court convicted the pro-democracy activist Owen Chow and his solicitor Phyllis Woo for removing a complaint form about corrections officers from prison without authorisation. Both faced charges of "carrying an unauthorised article out of prison". The complaint, addressed to the ombudsman, detailed the Correctional Services Department's (CSD) ban on two Chinese Buddhism books that Chow's family members had attempted to send him in prison.
The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation condemns the conviction as well as the actions of Hong Kong authorities. It is outrageous that political prisoners in Hong Kong are only permitted to voice their complaints with "approval" under the current “justice” system, highlighting a serious infringement on their basic rights.
Olivia Enos, a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, wrote a commentary in Forbes Magazine titled "Hong Kong's Economy Is Now Risky Business," discussing how Hong Kong has become a hub for rogue regimes to conduct illicit financial transactions and evade international sanctions.
The article cited key findings from a new report launched last week by the CFHK Foundation titled “Beneath the Harbor: Hong Kong’s Leading Role in Sanctions Evasion.” Authored by Samuel Bickett, a Hong Kong human rights lawyer and advocate, the report details Hong Kong’s leading role in facilitating the transfer of funding, oil, and restricted technology to Russia, Iran, and North Korea - three countries the international community has sanctioned for actions that threaten global security and stability.
In response, the Hong Kong authorities issued a press release that "strongly disapproved of and rejected" the article, labelling the CFHK Foundation as an “anti-China” organisation. We, at the CFHK Foundation, firmly state that we are not “anti-China” and are solely opposed to actions that violate human rights.
The CFHK Foundation issued a statement welcoming the release of Vladimir Kara-Murza, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and other political prisoners held by the Russian authorities. We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. authorities to free these 16 prisoners from Russia and urge the British Government to immediately re-double its effort to ensure the release of British citizen Jimmy Lai from unjust imprisonment in Hong Kong.
Jimmy Lai's Trial Update
Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai's trial is expected to resume on November 20th for further proceedings.
Sebastien Lai, son of Jimmy Lai, participated in a summit on China organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) in Taiwan. During the event, Sebastien engaged with lawmakers from around the world, who collectively expressed their support for the release of Jimmy Lai. Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, representative of Jimmy Lai’s international legal team, delivered a keynote address on the ongoing campaign for his release.
Detailed trial updates available here: Support Jimmy Lai
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang warned people not to “let their guard down,” saying there were still risks to national security. Tang added that the government would continue to promote awareness of national security, for example through setting up a national security gallery.
Hong Kong's top court granted permission to three Tiananmen vigil activists, Chow Hang-tung, Tang Ngok-kwan, and Tsui Hon-kwong, to appeal their conviction for refusing to comply with a national security data demand. This marks their last chance to advance their legal bid challenging their conviction after earlier attempts were unsuccessful.
Hong Kong Education Bureau recommended that Xi Jinping’s Thought be taught to third-year secondary students. The ideology will be included part of a module titled “Our Country’s Political Structure and Its Participation in International Affairs,” according to the newly issued curriculum guidelines for the subject of Citizenship, Economics and Society.
U.S. - Hong Kong
CBS News released a video in which Correspondent Ramy Inocencio discusses how Hong Kong has changed and become a police state five years after the protest. In the video, U.S. Consul General Gregory May addresses the impact of new legislation on free expression, stating, "People in Hong Kong are not free to criticise the government as they used to be able to."
In response, Hong Kong authorities issued a press release, expressing strong disapproval and condemning the comments made by the U.S. Consul General in the video.
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