On the 25th, Amnesty International announced the closure of two Hong Kong offices on the grounds that the political environment in Hong Kong under the “Hong Kong National Security Law” has deteriorated. (Reuters)
2021/10/26 05:30
Lost to the National Security Law in Hong Kong for more than 40 years
[Compiled by Sun Yuqing/Comprehensive Report]Since the implementation of the “Hong Kong National Security Law” at the end of June last year, the political environment has been deteriorating day by day. Amnesty International, which has been concerned about human rights for a long time, announced on the 25th that it will close two offices in Hong Kong and transfer business to other Asia-Pacific countries considering the restrictions on movement in Hong Kong and the risks faced by employees. The branch will affect about 30 employees. Amnesty International was forced to withdraw from China completely after establishing itself in Hong Kong for more than forty years, frankly saying that it was “heavy.”
Business transfer to Asia-Pacific country chapters
According to reports, Amnesty International has two offices in Hong Kong, one of which is the Hong Kong branch. Its main task is to focus on and promote local human rights in Hong Kong. Research on the use of force by demonstrators, and the office will be closed on the 31st of this month, and related fundraising and human rights education work has ceased on the 24th. The other office is the regional headquarters responsible for research and promotion in East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It will be closed before the end of the year, and related operations will be transferred to other branches.
Mobility restricted employees are at risk again
The chairman of the organization, Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, pointed out that Hong Kong has always been an ideal place for international civil society organizations to operate, but the various treatments suffered by human rights and trade union groups recently show that the authorities have gradually increased their pressure to eliminate all opposition; In an unstable environment, continued operations are becoming more and more difficult. “We made this decision with a heavy heart. Due to the influence of the Hong Kong National Security Law, it is practically impossible for human rights organizations to operate freely in Hong Kong without worrying about being severely affected by the government. revenge.”
Over 60 organizations have been forced to disband
Since the “Hong Kong National Security Act” was launched, more than 70 people in Hong Kong have been prosecuted for endangering national security and other related crimes, including many well-known pro-democracy activists such as the founder of “One Media” Li Zhiying, and many others have been forced into exile. overseas. Not only that, more than 60 political or civic organizations in Hong Kong were also forced to disband, and even the “Hong Kong Citizens Support Patriotic and Democratic Movement Federation” (Stake Association), which held an annual evening party to mourn the victims of the Tiananmen Incident in Beijing in 1989 ), its main cadres were also forcibly convicted of “inciting subversion of political power.”
The Taiwan branch continues to “support Hong Kong”
Through the “Hong Kong National Security Law”, the Beijing authorities have carried out a major reform of Hong Kong’s political, cultural and legal environment, and introduced Chinese-style speech suppression. Once arrested, not only personal or organizational assets may be frozen, but most of them are also forbidden before trial. Pay guarantee. Although Amnesty International has not publicly named the “rectification”, Hong Kong and Beijing officials have previously strongly condemned its human rights report. The Taiwan branch of Amnesty International has posted on Facebook, emphasizing that the Taiwan branch will continue to “support Hong Kong” in the future.
The Hong Kong branch of Amnesty International and the Asia-Pacific headquarters are concerned about the human rights situation in the region and across the Asia-Pacific region, but they are often under fire from Beijing. (AFP)
No need to draw, no need to grab, watch the news with the app now, make sure to win prizes every day, I download the app and follow me to see the activity method
.
