Chinese University of Hong Kong college students’ union to shutter citing ‘unprecedented risks’ over registration

https://hongkongfp.com/2024/01/29/chinese-university-of-hong-kong-college-students-union-to-shutter-citing-unprecedented-risks-over-registration/

'Staff couldn't say no to Jimmy Lai's orders'

The national security trial of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai on Monday heard that staff of the now-defunct outlet must follow “without choice” the editorial policy set out by their former boss.During cross-examination by the defence, former publisher Cheung Kim-hung described Lai as someone he could not say no to.The court heard that Cheung and other senior executives shared the same values as Lai, such as freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and believed the media should serve as the fourth estate to monitor the government.But Cheung dismissed a suggestion from senior counsel Robert Pang, who’s representing the defendant, that the editorial policy of Apple Daily was based on those shared values. “For example, on the extradition bill, Lai’s editorial policy was to urge people to take to the streets and demonstrate, putting pressure on the government to revoke the ordinance,” Cheung said.“This was not purely about freedom, democracy or freedom of expression, but it was about the approach the newspaper should take.” The ex-publisher added he did not believe that Apple Daily staff would produce such reports without a clear editorial policy set by its founder.The court also heard a charter for the newspaper stipulated there was editorial independence. “It was an idea for us to have editorial independence. But for Lai’s editorial policy, it was what he ordered and we had to follow without choice,” Cheung said.Separately, Pang argued that Apple Daily had taken “a very strong stance on political issues” prior to 2014 – the year in which the court previously heard that Lai had begun to be actively involved in the newspaper’s editorial decisions – presenting four articles published before that year.“There was a sea change in Apple Daily in 2014. It was no longer about calling on people every June 4 and July 1 to take part in candlelight vigils and processions,” Cheung said in response, adding that in 2014 Lai was behind a campaign to promote an unofficial referendum on universal suffrage and voiced opposition to a white paper on One Country, Two Systems by central authorities.Cheung is among six former staff who admitted to conspiracy to commit collusion.Lai has denied three conspiracy charges relating to collusion with foreign forces and sedition.The trial continues on Tuesday.

2024-01-29 17:43:32 (1)

Xinjiang to step up counter-terrorism efforts

The chairman of the Xinjiang regional committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) said on Monday that the region would step up its fight against terrorism to safeguard national interests and maintain social stability. Speaking at the opening of the committee's annual session, Nurlan Abilmazhinuly accused the United States of interfering in Xinjiang's affairs.He said the region was opposed to false accusations. "We have to make positive publicity and have the courage to fight. We oppose slander and sanctions by the United States and Western countries. Our committee members will refute inaccurate, negative and harmful remarks to show Xinjiang's new face of openness and self-confidence," he said.Li Xuan from the region's commerce department said Xinjiang's foreign trade reached a new high last year, with interest from Central Asian countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. He pointed to more opportunities for cooperation with European, Hong Kong and Macau companies to invest in Xinjiang. Meanwhile, Xu Ruijun from the region's department of culture and tourism said the region would focus on improving the quality of tourism services, especially winter tourism such as ski resorts. The annual session of the Xinjiang Regional People's Congress begins on Tuesday.

2024-01-29 17:47:49

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全球播映 但香港無法觀看
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2pKktvIZXz/

Government to consult public on Article 23 legislation

Chief Executive John Lee will hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce the public consultation on national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and Secretary for Security Chris Tang will also attend the press conference at government headquarters in Tamar. The CE said last week that he would lead a publicity campaign to inform the public about the new national security legislation, which the government plans to introduce by the end of the year.The government has said it will submit a bill to the Legislative Council to enact such legislation, as required by Article 23 of the Basic Law, and a draft is expected to be presented soon.

2024-01-29 20:41:09

Mainland court orders on civil, commercial matters can now be enforced in Hong Kong

https://hongkongfp.com/2024/01/29/mainland-court-orders-on-civil-commercial-matters-can-now-be-enforced-in-hong-kong/

Trial against 8 Hong Kong police officers accused of beating street sleepers adjourned until April

https://hongkongfp.com/2024/01/29/trial-against-8-hong-kong-police-officers-accused-of-beating-street-sleepers-adjourned-until-april/

Hong Kong Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai was not a boss you could say no to, ex-publisher tells national security trial

https://hongkongfp.com/2024/01/29/hong-kong-apple-daily-founder-jimmy-lai-was-not-a-boss-you-could-say-no-to-ex-publisher-tells-national-security-trial/

經濟學人：香港中國化已成定局 變得不再是國際城市
https://channelchk.com/a/16109

香港早前被戲稱已淪為國際金融遺址，加上外國人離開，大批內地人進駐。著名財經雜誌《經濟學人》的最新報道指出，香港變得不再是國際城市，中國化已成定局。

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BREAKING: Hong Kong begins public consultation for new, homegrown security law Article 23

https://hongkongfp.com/2024/01/30/breaking-hong-kong-begins-public-consultation-for-new-homegrown-security-law-article-23/

Govt launches Article 23 public consultation

The government on Tuesday launched a public consultation on enacting Basic Law Article 23 national security legislation.In making the announcement, Chief Executive John Lee said Article 23 legislation must be enacted as soon as possible because of the national security risks the SAR faces."After the colour revolution and black riot in 2019, we all understand the importance of national security, and that risks to national security are serious, real and can be unexpected," he said."Also, the geopolitical situation is getting more complicated. We must remedy this shortcoming as soon as possible."Lee also said enacting Article 23 national security legislation is a constitutional duty that Hong Kong has not fulfilled in the past 26 years, since its return to the motherland in 1997.He said the legislative principles include safeguarding the country's sovereignty, safety and development interests, as well as protecting people's rights and freedoms.Lee said the government proposes enacting a new ordinance, as well as revising some of the city's existing laws.The implementation of Article 23 legislation takes into consideration existing laws in Hong Kong and other jurisdictions, as well as the SAR's own situation, he added."We are confident, we are proud and we stand high because the principles we adopt conform with the international standard, and we're doing it in exactly the same way as other countries are doing."We will be respecting and safeguarding the freedoms and rights lawfully enjoyed by the people of Hong Kong, by the organisations (operating) in Hong Kong."Lee also called it a "defensive law"."No businessman wants to see their investment, their business, be disrupted or destroyed by violence or in a war zone," the CE said."I think the new law aims to create a stable and safe environment so that when people attack us, then we will be protected. And this is a law to tell people not to attack us. It is, in a way, a defensive law."Members of the public have until February 28 to submit their views regarding the proposed legislation.Lee described the consultation arrangements as "appropriate", saying Hong Kong people already have a consensus on the issue and there's the need to plug the security loophole as soon as possible. He also said there are no provisions in the legislation that would send suspects to the mainland to stand trial.Officials will brief lawmakers on the proposal in the afternoon.

2024-01-30 10:17:40 (6)

'Law-abiding residents have nothing to worry about'

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said on Tuesday that law-abiding residents need not worry about inadvertently violating national security laws under Article 23 of the Basic Law, noting that the legislation will be clearly specified.Speaking at a press conference to launch the government's public consultation on the legislation, Lam said the laws target an extremely small number of people who threaten national security."One of the principles of the rule of law is that there should be reasonable certainty in the law. The proposed legislation will clearly define the elements of the relevant offences, including criminal conduct and intent, and will be targeted precisely at acts that endanger national security," he said."We are considering including appropriate exceptions and defence provision so that law-abiding residents do not have to worry about inadvertently breaking the law."He noted that maintaining national security is consistent with protecting human rights. Lam explained that, as people can see from the social unrest in 2019, without national security, residents cannot exercise their rights and freedoms, while their personal security and assets are threatened. That's why the purpose of national security legislation is to better protect everyone's life, property, investment, rights and freedoms, he said. The security minister added that the enactment of national security legislation is an international practice and there are many overseas examples in the consultation document. The government said it take reference from security laws in other jurisdictions, but will not simply copy them for the SAR's implementation.

2024-01-30 11:58:48 (1)

Exco members back Article 23 proposals

All non-official members of the Executive Council on Tuesday said they firmly support the government's legislative proposals on Basic Law Article 23 national security legislation.In a statement, they said the SAR must fulfil its constitutional duty to enact Article 23 as soon as possible, adding that there is a consensus in society that the legislative work should be completed. "We must seize the opportunity to legislate as soon as possible in order to effectively respond to and prevent risks and threats that endanger national security," the statement read."As such, we can go all out to boost the economy and strive for development and work together to ensure Hong Kong's long-term prosperity, stability and the well-being of citizens."The chief executive's advisory body added that a consultation paper for the proposed legislation is detailed, and it is appropriate to give the public one month to submit their views.Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Bill Tang also called the one-month consultation appropriate. "We (conduct) the consultation under a very strong social consensus, and the information in this document is very fruitful," he said.

2024-01-30 13:05:14

New laws target outside interference, computer crimes

New laws against computer crimes and external interference are among those proposed under Article 23 of the Basic Law.Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Secretary for Security Chris Tang said the government will improve existing laws and propose new offences in its consultation paper, and that Article 23 will have extraterritorial powers.Under the proposals, the new laws criminalise treason and related acts; insurrection, inciting mutiny and disaffection, and acts with seditious intention; theft of state secrets and espionage; sabotage endangering national security and related activities; and external interference and organisations engaged in activities endangering national security.Secession and subversion are not included because they are already covered under the National Security Law.Tang said there will be a new offence prohibiting acts in relation to a computer or electronic system without lawful authority and endangering national security."Under existing offences such as damaging property and accessing computers with dishonest intent, we are proposing a new offence to target offences that endanger national security, so that we can address such risks and strengthen deterrence and crack down on acts that endanger national security through such acts," he said. Another new offence is to prohibit anyone from working with outside forces to influence local affairs, such as the city's elections and judicial decisions. The security minister added that laws banning incitement to disaffection against the police and the Government Flying Service would be expanded to cover a wider range of officials, including policymakers, officials who manage public finances and the judiciary.On the extraterritorial powers of the laws, Tang said acts and activities endangering national security, regardless of whether they are carried out in or outside of Hong Kong, would be punished, and the proposals fully align with international law and conventions.The consultation paper also said that the authorities could consider introducing measures to ensure that law enforcement agencies have sufficient time to carry out investigations when dealing with national security cases. It noted that the UK, for example, has given the police the power to apply for an extension of the period of detention of national security suspects.

2024-01-30 13:48:18 (2)

Two legal bodies welcome Article 23 proposals

Hong Kong's two professional legal bodies representing barristers and solicitors on Tuesday welcomed the government's proposals for the Article 23 national security legislation. Bar Association chairman Victor Dawes said it's the SAR government's constitutional duty to enact the law, adding that the Bar will carefully study the proposed legislation and express its views in due course.Meanwhile, the Law Society said it would carefully examine the details of the proposed legislation and submit its views to the government as soon as possible. In a statement, society president Chan Chak-ming said officials should strike a balance between fulfilling constitutional duties and safeguarding people's rights when considering the legislation.

2024-01-30 14:56:16

'Apple Daily's stance on protests problematic'

The national security trial of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai on Tuesday heard a former publisher of the shuttered outlet found the newspaper's stance on violence and protests to be problematic.Continuing cross-examination by the defence, senior counsel Robert Pang said the newspaper had been “calling for peaceful protests”, presenting Apple Daily articles on processions in 2019 that had received a letter of no objection from the police.But ex-publisher Cheung Kim-hung, testifying as an accomplice witness, said Apple Daily's reporting became more supportive of the protesters as the unrest escalated.“I personally thought it was problematic. But in this position, as the publisher of Apple Daily, I had to implement Lai’s [editorial] policy,” he told the court.The court also heard staff were relayed a message from their boss, when he was behind bars, telling them to take care and be cautious. Presenting an audio clip of a staff meeting in May 2021, the defence asked Cheung if Lai meant to tell his staff to “steer clear of any acts that would breach the law”. “I dare not interpret [the message] myself. But he’d reminded colleagues to be careful given the circumstances,” Cheung said.The ex-publisher added that he told staff in the same snippet that Apple Daily “was not a criminal organisation”, and that Next Digital “had always strived to do its best” to ensure the outlet abide by the law.On the newspaper's English edition launched in 2020, the defence lawyer suggested it was meant to provide “an alternative view” from the South China Morning Post to foreign readers, but Cheung disagreed.The court was told a campaign to write to then-US President Donald Trump was intended to encourage him to confront Beijing, with the ex-publisher dismissing the defence’s suggestion that international pressure could be applied in many ways such as a simple phone call between world leaders.“This was not what Lai thought at the time,” Cheung said.“Lai all along believed Trump had the guts to go against Beijing. He has always praised Trump’s unilateralism for daring to start a trade war with China, forcing it to follow the values of the West.”Cheung is among six former staff who admitted to conspiracy to commit collusion. The Apple Daily founder has denied three conspiracy charges relating to collusion with foreign forces and sedition.The trial continues on Wednesday.

2024-01-30 17:46:14