#Newspaper

The bank account of Apple Daily’s Charity fund cancelled by Bank Of China, rumour says the reason is “paying tuitions for students”

(15 Jun) In March 2020, Pro-Beijing organization protested at the Revenue Tower in Wan Chai and suspected that Apple Daily Charitable Foundation was supporting rioters behind the scene in the name of charity work. Apple daily reported that the Foundation’s bank account in Bank of China(BOC) had been cancelled by the bank due to “commercial reasons”.

In Apple Daily’s report, The Charitable Foundation’s BOC account was closed down by the bank due to commercial reasons, and the other three accounts are operating as normal. The fund in the BOC account has been transferred to the other accounts.

According to Apple Daily, BOC staff contacted Mr. Chow Tat Hey, the Chief Executive of the foundation, regarding the protest at the Revenue tower. Mr. Chow explained to the BOC officer, saying the Foundation’s initiative is to support students, to help all the students who are facing financial difficulties because of the Anti Elab movement, and they will not screen applicants based on their political stances. However, the bank did not accept such an explanation and cancelled the account officially by sending a letter to the foundation on 4 May. In the letter, there was no mention of the reason for such a decision.

In March, there was Pro-Beijing group protesting at the Revenue tower, raising banners with slogans like “Toxic apple Fake charity, Funds to the Rioters”, etc, and the group suspected that the initiative of supporting students violates the definition of a charitable organization, and requested the Inland Revenue Department to cancel the charity status of Apple Daily Charitable Foundation.

Apple Daily Charitable Foundation started the initiative of supporting students in the past and claims to provide assistance to University students and students of tertiary education, who are unable to pay tuition and school fees due to family conflicts arising from the Anti elab protest. Apple Daily claims that the Foundation has received 7.85M donations as of 7 June, and is providing assistance to more than 10 students.
Standnews has sent an inquiry to BOC, who refused to comment on this particular case when replying and claimed that the bank has followed respective laws when managing the accounts in their daily operations.

Source: The Stand News
https://bit.ly/2BbdDsP

#AppleDaily #CharitibleFoundation #ChinaInfluence #BankOfChina #AntiELAB

#NeverForget #NeverForgive
#ProtestersStory
The Long and Arduous Aftermath after the Battle of Chinese University of Hong Kong; Arrested Student: Hongkongers, Please Go On Fighting

One year after the Anti-ELAB movement began, a quieter but more sustained form of suffering now grips Hong Kong's pro-democracy activists.

The Stand News follows the story of Ah Man, a student who was arrested at the Siege of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) by the police, as he awaits his trial that is yet to even be scheduled.

This is just one of many Hong Kong protesters' stories.

Ah Man hopes to tell Hongkongers, "Please go on the fight".

Read the Translated Article in Full:
https://telegra.ph/Arrested-student-from-Chinese-University-siege-Sacrifice-is-inevitable-in-this-era-of-revolution-Hongkongers-please-continue-fig-11-11

Source: Stand News #Jun11

https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/612-個被控暴動的人-5-中大一役被捕學生-時代總有人犧牲-香港人請繼續抗爭/

#CUHKSiege #AntiELAB #HongkongProtests #HongkongChronicles

#GoHKGraphics
Hong Kong Police Force and the Department of Justice insisted that the arrests made during protests were fair.

The Stand News has followed up with 594 of the concluded cases, in an attempt to figure out the truth: Were the arrests excessive?

#PoliceState #Arrest #AntiELAB #HongKongProtests #PoliticalOppression #DoJ #StandWithHK

Source: https://www.thestandnews.com/politics/%E5%8F%8D%E9%80%81%E4%B8%AD%E6%A1%88%E4%BB%B6%E7%B5%B1%E8%A8%88-%E8%BF%91-600-%E9%A0%85%E6%8E%A7%E7%BD%AA%E8%BF%BD%E8%B9%A4-22-%E6%92%A4%E6%8E%A7%E6%88%96%E7%84%A1%E7%BD%AA/

#Solidarity
Protesters' Painting is "the Best Advertisement", Says #Chickeeduck's CEO

Chickeeduck has a new branch in Tin Hau slated to open soon, with a painting of a protester boldly displayed on its shutters. CEO Herbert Chow said the painting was his favorite part of the new store; since the painting faces the on-ramp to the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, "This is our best advertisement."

He wanted it to be a constant reminder to the government and the people of Hong Kong: "If they hadn't tried to ram the extradition bill through #LegCo last year, would these people have been on the streets?"

He also wanted to challenge the pro-Beijing camp's denigrating description of the pro-democracy protesters as "evil rioters". "If they withdrew the bill on June 12 [when LegCo was scheduled to vote on the extradition bill], no one would need to wear all this gear to protect themselves."

Chickeeduck had caught the attention of Hongkongers when they displayed a statue of Hong Kong's Lady Liberty in one of their branches earlier.

Originally a children's clothing store chain, the new branch will also carry products related to the anti-ELAB movement, such as T-shirts and small replicas of the Lady Liberty statue.

Chow said the store will present more merchandises with artwork from local artists.

Source: InMediaHK.net #Dec10
https://bit.ly/3r3b5ly

#HerbertChow #LadyLiberty #AntiELAB #HongKongProtests #ProtestArt #HongKongBrand #YellowEconomy

#PoliticalSuppression #Court
“I Plead Guilty, But I Have Done No Wrong”: Former Democratic Party Chairman in Hong Kong on Protest Charges

73-year-old Yeung Sum, former chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, was among the few who plead guilty to participating in an unauthorized protest in the city on August 31, 2019.

The trial began on April 7, 2021 in the District Court in Hong Kong. Below are snippets from Yeung’s guilty plea:

“Your Honor, I plead guilty to the charges related to participating in an unauthorized assembly on Aug 31, 2019, but I have done no wrong, and I will not plead for mercy. The following is my submission."

“I plead guilty to participating in an unauthorized and illegal demonstration, but I will not admit that I did anything wrong.

Although the police did not issue a letter of no objection for the march, I still came forward to participate in the march because I want to uphold the fact that demonstration is a fundamental right of every Hong Kong citizen and should be constitutionally protected.

It was also to protest against the police’s abuse of power, who arbitrarily banned peaceful demonstrations and marches and deprived Hong Kong people of their civil rights.

Therefore, I am willing to put myself on the line and engage in civil disobedience in a peaceful manner, and I am prepared to accept the criminal liability of the law.”

For the full version in Chinese: https://bit.ly/3cUam0Y

Source: Stand News #April7
https://bit.ly/3cW1CaR

#PoliticalPrisoners #YeungSum #CivilDisobedience #AntiELAB #HongKongProtests

#Court #PoliticalPrisoner
#JoshuaWong: Don't Let the World Change Us

In almost 2 years since the Anti-ELAB movement broke out in 2019, Hong Kong's representative figures of the pro-democracy "resistance" camp are either in jail or in exile.

Among them, former lawmaker #EddieChu, former journalist #GywnethHo, district councillors #LesterShum and #TiffanyYuen have been detained and denied bail since late February 2021. They are among the 47 pro-democracy activists arrested for joining the primary election in 2020.

Former chair of #Demisisto #NathanLaw and former spokesman for the Hong Kong Higher Institutions International Affairs Delegation (#HKIAD) #SunnyCheung have to sever ties with their family in Hong Kong and live in exile.

On March 30, 2021, district councillor #JannelleLeung and activist Joshua Wong, alongside Shum and Yuen, were trialed for taking part in an "unauthorised assembly" on #June4 in Victoria Park in 2020.

They were among 24 pro-democracy figures who were charged for participating in the annual candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims of the 1989 #TiananmenSquareMassacre in Beijing. The vigil was for the first time banned by the Hong Kong police in 2020. It is still uncertain that whether the annual rally could be held in 2021.

The four pro-democracy activists admitted to joining the rally and were remanded in custody. In the courtroom, Joshua Wong yelled, "Even if we cannot change the world, don't let the world change us."

The 24-year-old Wong is currently serving his sentence for surrounding the police headquarters during the #AntiELAB protest, while being additionally charged with other offences connecting to the primary election and June 4th #vigil.

Source: Stand News #Mar30
https://bit.ly/333JeXD

#PoliticalSuppression #PoliceState #47Democrats

#Court
#HongkongersVoice #Letter
Former #StudentsUnion President #OwenAu: "We can still strive for the future we want by our actions from moment to moment"

Part 1 / 3

[Editor's note:

The following is a letter written by Owen Au Cheuk-hei, the former president of the Students' Union of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK). The letter was submitted to the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong on May18, 2021, where the 22-year-old Au was trialed for "participating in an unauthorized assembly", "possessing weapons" and "obstructing justice" among other charges in a pro-democracy protest on October 20, 2019.

On the same day in court, Au has been convicted and the court will deliver his sentence on June 2, 2021.]

"That year, the feeling of hopelessness led to a wave of student suicides. One youth after another became overwhelmed by the feeling of darkness as they could not see their future, and ended their brief lives.

One of my best friends was among them; he departed suddenly, without leaving a word behind. After that, I spent countless days and nights curled up on my bed, watching countless sunrises and sunsets outside my window, berating myself for being unable to prevent the tragedy from happening.

It was then that I began to doubt the phrase 'determining my own destiny'. No matter how my self-determined spirit struggles, it could not slow down the fall and corruption of this land by even a little bit.

So I began to think that, in this cruel society, self-determination was probably only an absurd joke.

I was caught up in all these depressing emotions when I came to find Buddhism. I reached a relevation one day, and understood that all things came from dependent arising, and are emptiness by nature; whether times are good or bad, nothing is permanent, and nothing lasts forever.

From this, I learned to put aside my own preconceptions, and let go of my own honor and disgrace. I no longer worry whether every effort I paid would be rewarded. I only concern myself with whether what I think and do are improving myself, those around me, and the world I live in. The past cannot be changed; the present is bound by the past; but the future is determined by our choices today.

Even though much of the world is beyond our control, even beyond our knowledge, we can still strive for the future we want by our actions from moment to moment. Perhaps this is what 'determining my own destiny' really meant. This is how, through faith, I found the strength to carry on living, and the courage to meet my own future destiny."

Source: InMedia #May18
https://bit.ly/3tQqQg0

#PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoner #PoliticalSuppression #PoliceState #HongKongProtests #AntiELAB

#Court #HongkongersVoice #Letter
Former #StudentsUnion President #OwenAu: "I see hope...many people are still striving for Hong Kong"

Part 2 / 3

[Editor's note:

The following is a letter written by Owen Au Cheuk-hei, the former president of the Students' Union of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK). The letter was submitted to the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong on May18, 2021, where the 22-year-old Au was trialed for "participating in an unauthorized assembly", "possessing weapons" and "obstructing justice" among other charges in a pro-democracy protest on October 20, 2019.

On the same day in court, Au has been convicted and the court will deliver his sentence on June 2, 2021.]

Previously, Part 1:
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/29797

"...As stated in my case, I was arrested during a protest on Oct 20, 2019, which was 576 days ago.

During this period of time, nearly ten thousand citizens had come under arrest due to the movement or other political reasons. More and more people are forced to leave Hong Kong, with no chance in sight for their return.

This development is surely the opposite of the outcome that many had hoped for: 'determining our own destiny', or democratic self-governance.

After my arrest, a police officer asked me mockingly: What did I feel I've achieved by taking to the streets?

Thinking back now, over these 576 days, it certainly seemed like I've achieved nothing, except losing more and more fellow students and friends. Undoubtedly, this caused me more pain than the court case now being brought against me.

However, different from the overwhelming feeling of powerlessness in the years past, today I do not feel hopeless at all, and have not given up on my belief in 'determining our own destiny'.

These 576 days had been long and full of changes. There had been trauma and pain, but at the same time, I see hope. Because I know that, outside of the courts and prisons, out of sight of others, many people are still striving quietly for Hong Kong, taking up the fight in place those who have fallen.

Local business owners absorb losses to make their Hong Kong brands shine; artists and creative minds are working day and night to reclaim the city's coveted reputation of 'number one in Asia'.

These Hongkongers are full of life and dreams, and I can feel the immeasurable bravery and wisdom in them. Before such great people, I feel humble, and have no more excuses to wallow in self-pity.

They make me firmly believe that this city is not fated to spiral downward forever; this city will create infinite possibilities for the future."

Source: InMedia #May18
https://bit.ly/3tQqQg0

#PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoner #PoliticalSuppression #PoliceState #HongKongProtests #AntiELAB

#Court #HongkongersVoice #Letter
Former #StudentsUnion President #OwenAu: "No matter what awaits us in the future, I believe that our generation is one who determines our own destiny"

[Editor's note:

The following is a letter written by Owen Au Cheuk-hei, the former president of the Students' Union of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK). The letter was submitted to the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong on May18, 2021, where the 22-year-old Au was trialed for "participating in an unauthorized assembly", "possessing weapons" and "obstructing justice" among other charges in a pro-democracy protest on October 20, 2019.

On the same day in court, Au has been convicted and the court will deliver his sentence on June 2, 2021.]

Previously, Part 1:
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/29797

Part 2:
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/29805

Part 3:

"...Nobel Prize laureate Albert Camus used to say, 'Each generation doubtless feels called upon to reform the world. Mine knows that it will not reform it, but its task is perhaps even greater. It consists in preventing the world from destroying itself.'

Due to historical reasons, our generation has no choice but to be born into a Hong Kong where political rights and the room for free speech are dwindling day by day.

Two summers ago, we chose to fight back against the fate that was forced upon us, demonstrating to the world our determination to take hold of our own destiny. Now is the time that we take up the responsibility for our choice.

The world is changing, perhaps for better, or perhaps it is crumbling. But no matter what awaits us in the future, I believe that our generation is one who determines our own destiny:

we all hold fast to our own duties in our own ways, striving to create a new, beautiful era that we can truly call our own."

Source: InMedia #May18
https://bit.ly/3tQqQg0

#PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoner #PoliticalSuppression #PoliceState #HongKongProtests #AntiELAB

#PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoner
#Letter from Jailed Activist #FigoChan: "As long as we keep our faith, we can advance through adversity together"

Figo Chan, League of Social Democrats committee member and vice-convener of Civil Human Rights Front, was handed a heavy sentence of 18 months for organising a march on Oct 1 2019, which the police deemed an unlawful assembly.

Before his sentence was announced, Chan wrote an open letter to Hong Kongers to thank them for giving their all to fight for democracy, freedom, human rights and justice.

He also said that, although Hong Kongers have a tough road ahead, “don’t forget, the seeds we've sown will certainly lead to a harvest in the future."

In the letter he wrote on May 22, 2021, Chan thanked Hong Kongers for their effort that raised worldwide attention to the Anti-ELAB movement and forced the government to withdraw the act. He felt “proud and touched”.

He also mentioned, although more and more activists are sentenced to prison for violating the National Anthem Ordinance and the National Security Law, Hong Kongers should persist in their belief.

“The road to democracy is very long. As long as we keep our faith, we can advance through adversity together. One day, we will meet again under the pot (Legislature Council Complex)."

Now that Civil Human Rights Front (#CHRF) is facing the risk of being banned by the government, Chan said that although he is being imprisoned, “I still insist that CHRF will not disband until the end. I also hope everyone will still keep fighting for Hong Kong, and speak up on June 4, July 1, etc on behalf of the arrested, exiled, in the name of freedom”.

In closing, he wrote: “There is hope as long as we are still here. Five demands, not one less! May glory be to Hong Kong.”

Source: Apple Daily #May28
https://bit.ly/2RQxGVP

#PoliceState #Court #NeverGiveUp #AntiELAB #HongKongProtests