#China Intervenes #UN Human Rights Report on Xinjiang
According to #Reuters report on July 22, 2022, China, through a letter written by the Chinese mission, has asked the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to halt the release of the report on the human rights situation in #Xinjiang. This has been confirmed by three diplomats who received the letter.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet was widely criticized for her tepid performance during her visit to China in May 2022. Bachelet has since announced that she will not be seeking a second term as High Commissioner, citing personal reasons. However, she has promised to release a human rights report on Xinjiang before her tenure ends at the end of August.
Source: SBS #Jul22
https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/china-wants-to-stop-a-report-on-human-rights-in-xinjiang-why-is-it-piling-pressure-on-the-un
#Beijing #Threat #InternationalSecurity
According to #Reuters report on July 22, 2022, China, through a letter written by the Chinese mission, has asked the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to halt the release of the report on the human rights situation in #Xinjiang. This has been confirmed by three diplomats who received the letter.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet was widely criticized for her tepid performance during her visit to China in May 2022. Bachelet has since announced that she will not be seeking a second term as High Commissioner, citing personal reasons. However, she has promised to release a human rights report on Xinjiang before her tenure ends at the end of August.
Source: SBS #Jul22
https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/china-wants-to-stop-a-report-on-human-rights-in-xinjiang-why-is-it-piling-pressure-on-the-un
#Beijing #Threat #InternationalSecurity
Hong Kong gov’t to refund HK$147K fee for hanging #Chinaflags on lampposts, hours after leader #JohnLee’s request
Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Jul22
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Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Jul22
Read more
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Hong Kong gov’t to refund HK$147K fee for hanging #Chinaflags on lampposts, hours after leader #JohnLee’s request
//A group who applied to hang Chinese national flags on lampposts over multiple highways in Hong Kong last year will see fees totalling HK$147,000 refunded by the Highways Department, following instructions from #ChiefExecutive John Lee.
Lee said he learnt that a community group was asked to pay administrative fees and inspection fees by the government after applying to hang national flags over some highways in the New Territories for National Day last year.
The leader wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday night that he had asked the relevant department to educate the public on how to properly hang the national and Hong Kong flags. Lee said he also required the government body to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“The government values the promotion of patriotic education and has been actively pushing community groups and the public to celebrate special dates such as the National Day, with respect to the flags and symbols of the nation and Hong Kong,” Lee added.
Less than two hours after Lee’s post, the Highways Department published a statement saying that it had approved the waiver and will inform the group of refund arrangements “as soon as possible.”
Pro-Beijing backlashes
The issue was first raised by pro-Beijing columnist Chris Wat in an opinion piece published on Tuesday in Headline Daily.
Wat said a group was asked to pay HK$147,670 by the Highways Department for hanging some 1,200 national flags on lampposts around Kam Tin Road and Fan Kam Road between September 20 to October 9 last year.
“When the people self-initiated to do what the government didn’t, why are you still punishing these patriots who gave their heart and sweat?” Wat wrote in her article.
A day after, lawmakers Michael Lee and Rock Chen wrote to the department to ask what legal grounds the fees were based on.
“During the riots in 2019, many political parties and groups were hanging flags and leaflets on streets as well – how were you dealing with those items?” Lee and Chen wrote.
After John Lee announced that he had asked the department to waive the fees in question, Michael Lee thanked the leader for his “immediate concern” on Facebook on Thursday night as well.//
Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Jul22
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/07/22/hong-kong-govt-to-refund-hk147k-fee-for-hanging-china-flags-on-lampposts-hours-after-leader-john-lees-request/
#ChineseNationalism #FailedState #Taxpayers #GovernmentExpenses
//A group who applied to hang Chinese national flags on lampposts over multiple highways in Hong Kong last year will see fees totalling HK$147,000 refunded by the Highways Department, following instructions from #ChiefExecutive John Lee.
Lee said he learnt that a community group was asked to pay administrative fees and inspection fees by the government after applying to hang national flags over some highways in the New Territories for National Day last year.
The leader wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday night that he had asked the relevant department to educate the public on how to properly hang the national and Hong Kong flags. Lee said he also required the government body to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“The government values the promotion of patriotic education and has been actively pushing community groups and the public to celebrate special dates such as the National Day, with respect to the flags and symbols of the nation and Hong Kong,” Lee added.
Less than two hours after Lee’s post, the Highways Department published a statement saying that it had approved the waiver and will inform the group of refund arrangements “as soon as possible.”
Pro-Beijing backlashes
The issue was first raised by pro-Beijing columnist Chris Wat in an opinion piece published on Tuesday in Headline Daily.
Wat said a group was asked to pay HK$147,670 by the Highways Department for hanging some 1,200 national flags on lampposts around Kam Tin Road and Fan Kam Road between September 20 to October 9 last year.
“When the people self-initiated to do what the government didn’t, why are you still punishing these patriots who gave their heart and sweat?” Wat wrote in her article.
A day after, lawmakers Michael Lee and Rock Chen wrote to the department to ask what legal grounds the fees were based on.
“During the riots in 2019, many political parties and groups were hanging flags and leaflets on streets as well – how were you dealing with those items?” Lee and Chen wrote.
After John Lee announced that he had asked the department to waive the fees in question, Michael Lee thanked the leader for his “immediate concern” on Facebook on Thursday night as well.//
Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Jul22
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/07/22/hong-kong-govt-to-refund-hk147k-fee-for-hanging-china-flags-on-lampposts-hours-after-leader-john-lees-request/
#ChineseNationalism #FailedState #Taxpayers #GovernmentExpenses
Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
Hong Kong gov’t to refund HK$147K fee for hanging China flags on lampposts, hours after leader John Lee’s request
A group who applied to hang Chinese national flags on lampposts over multiple highways in Hong Kong last year will see fees totalling HK$147,000 refunded by the Highways Department, following instr…
#Court
Man who Posted Video of Olympic Gold Ceremony with "Glory to Hong Kong" Now Charged with "Insulting National Anthem of China"
When Hong Kong fencer #CheungKaLong won a #GoldMedal at the #TokyoOlympics in July 2021, many Hongkongers were overjoyed. Among them, a 27-year-old man published a video of the medal ceremony on the Internet, replacing the audio of China's national anthem with "Glory to Hong Kong," an anthem of the 2019 #AntiELAB movement.
One year later, the man was now charged with "insulting the national anthem of China" and "insulting the emblem of the Hong Kong SAR."
The case was heard in the Eastern Magistrates on July 22, 2022. The man was not represented by any counsel. The magistrate accepted the man's request to postpone the hearing to September 2, 2022, so that the man can look for a lawyer.
Source: InMedia #Jul22
https://bit.ly/3aVGjYS
#NationalAnthemOrdinance #PoliceState #Censorship #GlorytoHongKong #Sport #OnlineVideo #HongKongAthlete
Man who Posted Video of Olympic Gold Ceremony with "Glory to Hong Kong" Now Charged with "Insulting National Anthem of China"
When Hong Kong fencer #CheungKaLong won a #GoldMedal at the #TokyoOlympics in July 2021, many Hongkongers were overjoyed. Among them, a 27-year-old man published a video of the medal ceremony on the Internet, replacing the audio of China's national anthem with "Glory to Hong Kong," an anthem of the 2019 #AntiELAB movement.
One year later, the man was now charged with "insulting the national anthem of China" and "insulting the emblem of the Hong Kong SAR."
The case was heard in the Eastern Magistrates on July 22, 2022. The man was not represented by any counsel. The magistrate accepted the man's request to postpone the hearing to September 2, 2022, so that the man can look for a lawyer.
Source: InMedia #Jul22
https://bit.ly/3aVGjYS
#NationalAnthemOrdinance #PoliceState #Censorship #GlorytoHongKong #Sport #OnlineVideo #HongKongAthlete
#Court
Hong Kong Authorities Accuses Speech Therapists of "Conspiring printing, publishing, distributing or copying seditious publications" for publishing "Sheep Village" children's books
There was prima facie evidence against them. The prosecutor gave a closing statement on #July18 that this case does not need to prove the defendants have seditious incitement or that someone is incited. As long as the defendants understand the publications are with incitement but still publishing, they can be charged. The prosecutors cite previous cases to emphasise incitement can lead to severe consequences such as rebellions and internal wars. It can be similar to the Crime of #Treason.
The defendants stated in the closing statement on #July20 that the related kid's books are not seditious but reflect the defendants' views on social issues, which should not be criminal. The definitions of "#hatred", "#contempt", and “#subvert" are vague and broad, which allow the authority to punish dissidents, causing a chilling effect. People are frightened to be arrested with no bail due to providing non-official perspectives, just like these defendants being under detention for a year.
The defendants then listed a number of former-UK colonies, including India, Kenya and Uganda, to show "the Crime of Incitement" is unconstitutional and has been abandoned.
The case was extended until July 30, 2022 to continue the closing statements.
Sources: InMedia #Jul18 #Jul22 ; You are not alone HK #Jul20
https://bit.ly/3RJLD1O
https://bit.ly/3PoFEOi
https://publielectoral.lat/youarenotalonehk_en/349
Hong Kong Authorities Accuses Speech Therapists of "Conspiring printing, publishing, distributing or copying seditious publications" for publishing "Sheep Village" children's books
There was prima facie evidence against them. The prosecutor gave a closing statement on #July18 that this case does not need to prove the defendants have seditious incitement or that someone is incited. As long as the defendants understand the publications are with incitement but still publishing, they can be charged. The prosecutors cite previous cases to emphasise incitement can lead to severe consequences such as rebellions and internal wars. It can be similar to the Crime of #Treason.
The defendants stated in the closing statement on #July20 that the related kid's books are not seditious but reflect the defendants' views on social issues, which should not be criminal. The definitions of "#hatred", "#contempt", and “#subvert" are vague and broad, which allow the authority to punish dissidents, causing a chilling effect. People are frightened to be arrested with no bail due to providing non-official perspectives, just like these defendants being under detention for a year.
The defendants then listed a number of former-UK colonies, including India, Kenya and Uganda, to show "the Crime of Incitement" is unconstitutional and has been abandoned.
The case was extended until July 30, 2022 to continue the closing statements.
Sources: InMedia #Jul18 #Jul22 ; You are not alone HK #Jul20
https://bit.ly/3RJLD1O
https://bit.ly/3PoFEOi
https://publielectoral.lat/youarenotalonehk_en/349