Hong Kong and Chinese language officers have hit out at criticism of the trial of 47 former pro-democracy lawmakers and activists, who might face life imprisonment for participating in a democratic main election in 2020 geared toward maximizing the variety of opposition seats within the metropolis’s legislature.
A international ministry spokesperson in Hong Kong mentioned China “expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to criticism of Hong Kong’s judicial system, which is currently engaged in a trial in entrance of three government-picked judges with no jury beneath a draconian nationwide safety regulation imposed by Beijing.
“There is no right or freedom that can break through the red line of national security,” the spokesperson mentioned in an announcement, calling current criticisms of the trial a “political performance.”
The assertion repeated the prosecution declare that the first election was the work of “anti-China disruptive forces” and aimed to “seize control of the Legislative Council.”
The U.S. Senate International Relations Committee tweeted on Monday: “Today, #HongKong begins a sham trial against 47 pro-democracy leaders who planned to run for political seats.”
“This charade illustrates #China’s destruction of the rule of law and how afraid it is of different opinions. The U.S. will continue to support these freedom fighters,” the tweet mentioned.
The Hong Kong authorities mentioned the case wasn’t political, nonetheless.
“Cases will never be handled any differently owing to the profession, political beliefs or background of the persons involved,” it mentioned in an announcement, claiming the courts have been “free from any interference.”
A part of a ‘purge’
The statements got here after the final British colonial governor of Hong Kong, Lord Patten of Barnes, mentioned the trial was a part of a political “purge” by the ruling Chinese language Communist Get together.
“The Communist Party in Beijing, through its willing collaborators in Hong Kong, continues step-by-step to purge leaders or supporters of democracy and the rule of law in Hong Kong,” Patten mentioned in an announcement.
“I hope the world will continue to watch what is happening and take it to heart when considering how to treat Communist China in the weeks and months ahead.”
The previous pro-democracy lawmaker in exile, Ted Hui, referred to as on extra governments to talk out in help of the 47 defendants, 16 of whom have pleaded not responsible and the remainder responsible.
“The detained 47 are the most prominent representatives of all Hong Kongers,” Hui mentioned. “They are the faces of Hong Kong. I call on leaders from free countries to make the strongest statements ever to support them and call for their release.”
Benedict Rogers, who heads the London-based rights group Hong Kong Watch, mentioned the trial had marked Hong Kong’s transformation from an open society to a police state.
“[It] is emblematic of the dismantling of Hong Kong’s freedoms, autonomy, human rights and the rule of law,” Rogers mentioned.
“It is a total travesty of justice that these 47 individuals are even on trial, simply for conducting a process which is normal in any democracy, an open primary to select their candidates,” he mentioned in an announcement on the group’s web site.
Deal with Benny Tai
The prosecution on Tuesday concentrated its arguments round former College of Hong Kong regulation professor and veteran political activist Benny Tai, 57, one of many initiators of the 2014 Occupy Central pro-democracy movement.
Tai’s writings and feedback in secretly filmed political conferences on the time have been proof that the democratic main was a “conspiracy to subvert state power,” the prosecution argued in a trial that’s anticipated to final 90 days.
The secretly filmed footage performed in courtroom urged that one of many pro-democracy activists current had handed over footage to nationwide safety police.
Tai’s plan, summarized in his article “10 steps to mutual destruction” printed within the now-shuttered Apple Every day newspaper and posted to Fb, aimed to achieve not less than 35 of the 60 seats within the Legislative Council for pro-democracy candidates.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (Particular Duties) Anthony Chau argued that democrats had held greater than 10 conferences since January 2020 to determine learn how to implement the first, and had agreed to help the 5 calls for of the 2019 protest motion, which included common suffrage, higher police accountability and an amnesty for all detained protesters.
Tai was handed a 10-month prison term in Might 2022 for “illegally” selling an earlier strategic voting scheme titled “ThunderGo” forward of the 2016 Legislative Council elections by way of six paid newspaper advertisements.
The 47 defendants have been arrested en masse in January 2021 by nationwide safety police, prompting angry protests, and the bulk have been held on remand ever since, with solely a handful allowed out on bail.
Quickly after the first, the federal government postponed the September 2020 elections, citing the COVID-19 pandemic, then rewrote the electoral rulebook to stop pro-democracy candidates from working.
The next “election” of Chief Govt John Lee in a ballot wherein he was the only candidate worn out any distinction between town and the remainder of mainland China, commentators mentioned on the time.
Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster
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