#PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution
Pro-democracy Restaurant Owner and Family Subjected to Police Violence Face Arrest After A Year

In late October 2019, a number of irritant odor incidents were reported in Tuen Mun. Some local residents speculated that the pungent smell was caused by the Tai Hing Police Operational Base.

On October 30,, 2019, hundreds of cvilian surrounded the police base and demanded for an explanation.

During the police dispersal operation, the owner of the restaurant 'Dan Yatai' and her brother were violently subdued by the riot police inside their restaurant and were arrested them on charges of 'obstructing police officers'. The owner and her brother were released on bail the next day.

A year later, 'Dan Yatai' said on their Facebook page on November 13, 2020 that the owner and her brother received a call from the Tuen Mun Police Station and were requested to go to the Police Station.

The owner told Stand News that she and her brother received the call in the afternoon. They were asked to bring their lawyers to the police station on Monday, November 16, but were not informed of their impending arrest.

It was not until her brother pressed further on the question, the police admitted that they would be arrested 'by appointment' and charged with 'obstructing the police officers'.

The owner added that there were a lot of people who got arrested after they were out on bail since last year, so she was psychologically prepared for this. She was confident that she would be exculpated.

On October 30 last year in Tuen Mun, police arrested over 50 civilians. When 'Dan Yatai' reopened on November 12, 2019, a lot of local residents queued up to show their support. Some people wrote encouraging quotes on the restaurant's door.

Source: Stand News #Nov13

#YellowEconomy #Arrest #DanYatai

========
Video of the Violent Arrest on Oct 30, 2019
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/9387

Photos Showing the Police Tied Up the Owner and her Brother by Force
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/9384

#PoliticalProsecution #WhiteTerror
Police Arrests 2 Civilians from a Pro-democracy Restaurant and Another Civilian Wearing the “Liberate Hong Kong" Flag

At around 10 pm on Dec 4, 2020, a large number of police raided a pro-democracy "yellow" restaurant “Jie Genge” suddenly for three hours. After that, police officers took away some "evidence" and arrested two civilians.

According to different sources including Apple Daily and online media Benyuentertain, “PolyU cook” Sze King-hin, who was wearing the flag reading “Liberate Hong Kong Revolution of our times” was also arrested by the police at midnight outside the restaurant.

Yau Tsim Mong District Councillor Derek Chu Kong-Wai mentioned in his Facebook on this morning of December 5, 2020 that two civilians who were charged with "possession of an instrument fit for an unlawful purpose" were released on bail.

In the afternoon, police stated that police had anti-crime action between December 3 and 4 to patrol shops, restaurants and bars on the street and upstairs in Mong Kong.

During the patrol, in a restaurant located in Portland Street, police officers found one suspected extendable batons, fifteen helmets, one shield, fifteen gas masks, two reflective vests, three goggles and some banners.

After investigation, a 25-year-old man surnamed Shum and a 29-year-old man surnamed Wong were arrested with the suspicious of “possession of a banned weapon and an instrument fit for an unlawful purpose”.

The case is now investigated by Mong Kong District Investigation Sixth Team. Two of them are released on bail, and they are requested to report to the police in Jan 2021.

Source: Apple Daily #Dec5

#PoliceState #YellowShop

#FreeJimmyLai
#Taiwan President #TsaiIngWen: Staying true to my insistence on the value of democracy and freedom, I want to openly voice my support for Mr. Jimmy Lai

In a social media post on December 16, 2020, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen talked about a recent photo of Jimmy Lai, the founder of Next Digital, who was charged with a suspected violation of the Hong Kong National Security Law.

In the photo, Lai was being handcuffed and entangled in a metal chain around his waist on his way to court. Tsai said that the photo was "infuriating".

Tsai said, "the Human Rights Day has just passed, but Hong Kong's human rights are still in its butter winter. Staying true to my insistence on the value of democracy and freedom, I want to openly voice my support for Mr. Jimmy Lai. I want to let him know that the whole of Taiwan, and the whole world are watching this scene. It is not Mr. Lai who was humiliated, but Hong Kong's freedom and the rule of law."

Source: Citizen News #Dec16

https://www.hkcnews.com/article/36489/%E8%94%A1%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87-%E9%BB%8E%E6%99%BA%E8%8B%B1-36489/%E9%BB%8E%E6%99%BA%E8%8B%B1

#AppleDaily #HumanitarianCrisis #PoliceState #HumanitarianCrisis #JimmyLai #Arrests #PoliticalProsecution

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
HK Police Accuses 4 University Students of Rioting, One Carries Note that Reads “To all Hong Kongers, we must win”

During their siege of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in November 2019, the Hong Kong police confronted pro-democracy protesters at the No. 2 Bridge.

Afterwards, the police entered the campus, fired tear gas grenades and subdued civilians.

Among them, 3 male and 1 female university students were charged with rioting, violating the mask ban law and possessing offensive weapons. They were trialed on April 20, 2022 at the Wan Chai District Court. The case was handked by dstrict judge Clement Lee Hing-nin was .

In its opening statement, the prosecution said that a piece of paper was found after the police conducted body search on one of the students that was accused of rioting.

The note read “To all Hong Kongers, we must win”. The prosecution accused the student of rioting based on his all-black outfit, his presence at the riot scene, and the fact that he escaped when subdued by the police.

Source: Apple News #Apr20

https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20210420/QDAMBY2YMRCKDLGB37SEXN6KX4/

#CUHKSiege #Rioting #PoliceState #UniversityStudents #PoliticalPrisoner

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
HK Court Denies Bail for 36 in #47Activists Case, Assigned Judge: "Five Demands" Endander NationalSecurity

Among the 47 pro-democracy activists facing allegations of “conspiracy to commit subversion” in connection with a legislative primary election in Hong Kong in 2020, 36 of them have been denied bail.

'#LongHair' Leung Kwok-hung and Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, who are the vice-chairmen of the League of Social Democrats, were among the 36 who were denied bail.

Both of them applied for bail at Hong Kong's High Court earlier, but Judge Esther Toh Lye-ping , the designated judge of the National Security Law, refused to grant them bail and ordered to hold them back in custody.

The senior counsel Hectar Pun representing Leung and Sham pointed out that they have never advocated "Hong Kong independence", colluded with foreign forces or requested sanctions against the Chinese and Hong Kong governments, nor did they sign the "No Regrets" online statement.

Pun also said that Leung's local ties are strong, he has recently gotten married and is suffering from coronary heart disease, so the risk of absconding is low.

Moreover, Sham has always been active in the local #LGBT community, he married his partner who is also a Hong Kong resident in 2013, so Sham has no interest in leaving Hong Kong.

The judge issued her reasons on May 13, 2021, claiming there was no good reason to believe the two would not continue to act against national security.

The judge cited that the Department of Justice's arguments against bail, saying that Sham still stated he would continue to fight for the "#FiveDemands", in front of the police station upon his arrival on Feb 28, 2021. This indicated that there was no reason to believe he would not continue to endanger national security.

Source: InMedia #May13
https://bit.ly/3bqpwdh

#47Democrats #JimmySham #LeungKwokHung #Bail #PoliceState

#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

#NeverForget #NeverForgive
Over 10,000 People Arrested: 2 Years After the 1-million Pro-Democracy Protest in Hong Kong

Jan (alias), a 17-year-old Hong Kong youth, was charged with rioting.

In the end, he chose to plead guilty.

During a junior high school field trip, Jan visited a prison in Hong Kong. At the time, he thought, "I would never go to jail in my life. What's the point of the visit?"

He never imagined that in just a few years, he would be imprisoned because of a pro-democracy movement.

During a relatively mild clash, Jan was arrested on a charge of unlawful assembly. While he was detained, however, the police suddenly changed his charge to rioting. This was a complete surprise to Jan, and he thought the new charge was ridiculous.

His lawyer eventually managed to secure approval for his bail, though with strict curfew conditions. "I've lost most of my freedoms well before they declare me guilty," Jan said.

During a meeting, his lawyer explained to him that the police already had enough evidence to make the rioting charge stick. His mother immediately broke down in tears; Jan himself was overwhelmed by lethargy, staying up late and skipping school for a whole month, only imagining what prison life would be like.

Eventually, he decided to plead guilty, since it would lead to his sentence being reduced by one-third. After the court hearing, he saw forum posts questioning his plea when he had done no wrong. He was perplexed at their thinking. "'If your heart is truly in this movement,' I thought, 'why would you want any of us to get a longer sentence?"

---

As of April 2021, the Hong Kong Police has arrested over 10,000 people in connection to the 2019 Anti-ELAB movement. Among them, 1,700 were minors.

As of June 7, 2021, according to statistics provided by Stand News, 757 people are charged with riotting. 70% of them are below 25 years old and 75 of them are underaged. As of April 13, 2021, 28 people have been convicted. 23 of them have been sentenced; the longest jail time among them is 5 years and 6 months.

Source: Stand News #Jun9
https://bit.ly/3w2GkPQ

#PoliceState #HumanitarianCrisis #PoliticalProsecution #PoliticalPrisoners

#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

#Newspaper
#AppleDaily Arrests Make Headlines Across the World: "Blatant Attack on Journalism", "Silencing All Dissent"

The Hong Kong police arrest of #AppleDaily senior staff on June 17, 2021 has been widely reported by news outlets across the world. 

On June 19, the newspaper's editor-in-chief #RayLaw and #NextDigital CEO #CheungKimHung were mentioned in court for national security charges.

June 20, 2021 marks the 26th anniversary of the establishment of Apple Daily in Hong Kong. It is the only pro-democracy Chinese-language newspaper in print in the city.

===

#Reuters

//Five hundred Hong Kong police officers sifted through reporters’ computers and notebooks at pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on Thursday, the first case in which authorities have cited media articles as potentially violating the national security law.

“This is a blatant attack on the editorial side of Apple Daily,” Mark Simon, an adviser to Lai who is outside Hong Kong, told Reuters. “They’re arresting the top editorial folks.”

Asked how long he thinks the newspaper can survive, Simon said: “They decide, not us,” referring to authorities.//

Full article:
https://www.reuters.com/article/hongkong-security-apple-daily/update-2-hks-apple-daily-says-police-arrest-five-directors-in-latest-blow-to-tycoon-jimmy-lai-idUSL2N2NZ006

=====

#TheGuardian

//The raids were condemned by journalism and human rights groups.

Steven Butler, Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said the arrests destroyed “any remaining fiction that Hong Kong supports freedom of the press”.

“China, which controls Hong Kong, may be able to eliminate the paper, which it sees as an annoying critic, but only at a steep price to be paid by the people of Hong Kong, who had enjoyed decades of free access to information.”//

Full article:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/17/hong-kong-police-arrest-editor-in-chief-of-apple-daily-newspaper-in-morning-raids

====

#CNN

//Press freedoms are a fundamental right guaranteed by Hong Kong's Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution. But experts have worried about the usage of the national security law, and there have been indications of pressures on other media in the city. 

A recent ranking of worldwide press freedoms, meanwhile, indicates that the environment in Hong Kong has deteriorated. The international watchdog Reporters Without Borders — which qualifies such freedoms based on data on abuse and acts of violence against journalists along with a questionnaire to experts — ranked Hong Kong 80 out of 180 countries for press freedom, down from 18 out of 138 in 2002.//

Full article:

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/16/media/apple-daily-arrests-intl-hnk/index.html

=====

#Bloomberg

//“Hong Kong has been left with little free speech under the national security law, which is really aimed at silencing all dissent,” said Victoria Hui, an associate professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame. “Beijing has reined in Hong Kong and will continue to take whatever it takes to silence any dissenting voices.”

In a letter to readers on Thursday afternoon, Apple Daily said police officers confiscated a “large number of items,” including the computers of 38 journalists, over the course of a five-hour search of the company’s offices.

The newspaper said it now “faces an unprecedented crackdown by the regime,” but vowed its staff would be “standing firm” despite the growing pressure.

“Hong Kong’s press freedom is now hanging by a thread,” the letter said. “Though we are facing a sweeping clampdown on our publication, the staff of Apple Daily will hold fast to our duties faithfully and press on till the end to see the arrival of dawn.”//

Full article:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-16/hong-kong-arrests-apple-daily-editor-on-security-law-scmp-says

#PressFreedom #PoliceState #Censorship #PoliticalProsecution

Image: Stand News

#Court #PoliticalProsecution
Pro-democracy Singer Anthony Wong in Face of Political Suppression: "Sing on and Hang on, Hongkongers"

The authotities pressed charges on Hong Kong Cantopop star Anthony Wong and former pro-democracy lawmaker Au Nok-hin for "corruption" in connection to the Legislative Council by-election in 2018.

The ICAC claimed that Wong sang two songs at a rally organised by Au, who later won the election.

In court on August 5, 2021, The defence lawyer emphasized that Wong was not paid for the performance.

The prosecution then changed their tone and agreed to offer no evidence against Wong and Au. In the end, the court decided that the two would be bound over for 18 months in the sum of HK$2,000. Wong's charges would then be dismissed.

As a Cantopop icon and celebrity, Wong has been outspoken for his pro-democracy stance; while Au is already in prison for charges in related to the pro-democracy movement. Au is also one of the 47 democrats accused of violating the #NationalSecurityLaw for participating in the pro-democracy camp primaries in 2020.

Outside the court, Anthony Wong responded to media inquiry with a Cantopop song called "Ask me" written by legendary lyricist James Wong in 1976. In the part sung by Wong, the lyrics goes: "No matter how right or how wrong I am, I will face the outcome wholeheartedly; facing the world, whatever it comes, I am being myself."

Wong then told Hongkongers to "sing on and hang on".

Source: Stand News; RTHK #Aug5
https://fb.watch/7bpd6k0e-3

#Cantopop #AnthonyWong #AuNokHin #ICAC

#PoliticalProsecution
Former Reporter Charged with Rioting in Hong Kong: Losing the 612 Fund is Like Losing a Backing

Since 2019, the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund have been providing financial support to the pro-democracry protesters arrested in the #AntiELAB movement in Hong Kong. On August 18, 2021, the Fund annouced that they would suspend their operation. Their record shows that there are still 1,274 ongoing cases as of May 2021.

Ari (a pseudonym), who was previously a #AppleDaily reporter and currently unemployed, was charged with rioting during the AntiELAB movement in 2019. She is one of the arrested persons receiving support from the 612 Fund.

She described the 612 Fund as a firm backing the arrested people who were unsure about their future and struggle to live normally. The Fund relieved part of their financial burden; however, after the suspension of the Fund, Ari would hesitate before filing a legal review, if she would be convicted.

Source: InMediaHK #Oct02
https://bit.ly/3aoZeY3

#612Fund #612HumantarianReliefFund #Court #Freedom #Trial #Riots #Appeal

#StandNews Thanks Hongkongers for Their Support Despite Political Oppression

On December 29, 2021, Stand News has announced ceasing their operations and laying off all staff immediately after the police arrested a number of current and former management staff and freezing their assets.

The 7 arrested are the former and acting editors-in-chief of Stand News, Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam, four former board members – singer Denise Ho, barrister Margaret Ng, Christine Fang and Chow Tat-chi – and former Apple Daily executive Chan Pui-man, a former contributor.

Deputy assignment editor Ronson Chan briefly spoke to reporters as was leaving the Stand News office around 5pm. With tears in his eyes, he called it a "sad day", and thanked readers for their support.

Read more:
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/31751

Source: Citizen News #Dec29

#Media #PoliticalOppression #PressFreedom #Regime #Arrest #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution

#Black: Hongkongers' Favourite Color in 2021

The year 2021 is a year of censorship, and silencing in Hong Kong. If one can longer use language to express, what color will one use to describe the impression of 2021?

As of 5pm on December 25, 2021, the poll held by Stand News received 25,205 responses. 54.6% of the respondents (13,788) chose the color Black.

Source: Stand News #Dec25
https://2021color.thestandnews.com

#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution #Arrest

#WhiteTerror #FreedomofReligion
Cardinal Joseph Zen appears in court in Hong Kong on day of prayer for China

Ninety-year-old retired Catholic cardinal #JosephZen hosted a packed mass in Hong Kong on the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, just hours after a brief court hearing over charges linked to pro-democracy protests.

In his homily after pleading not guilty to charges of failing to register a pro-democracy association to Hong Kong Police, Zen chose not to speak about his legal case, but to highlight how Catholics in some parts of China cannot attend Mass right now — for they have no freedom now.

Zen dedicated the mass to churches in China where believers are still split between a so-called “underground” church resistant to the government, and a state-sanctioned church belonging to the Chinese Communist Party’s Patriotic Catholic Association.

In his remarks at Mass, Zen again criticised the deal between China and the #Vatican that allows Beijing to nominate bishops for the pope’s approval, calling it “unwise” despite being made with “good intention”.

"There is an urge to unify those above the ground and those underground but it seems that time is not ripe yet,” Zen said.

Implying that there may be more difficult times ahead, Zen said that “we may have to bear some pain and steel ourselves for our loyalty to our faith.”

He also dedicated prayers to churches in Myanmar led by #CardinalBo, his most outspoken supporter in Asia, as well as “brothers and sisters who cannot join tonight because they are not free”.

Zen, one of Asia’s highest-ranking Catholic clerics, was among five prominent democracy advocates — including activist and singer #DeniseHo and veteran human rights barrister #MargaretNg — who were arrested in early May. His arrest is part of a national security police probe into foreign collusion over a legal support fund for pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

Instead, all five of the fund’s former trustees and its secretary were charged on May 24 with failing to register it as a “society” with police — a non-national security offence. All plead not guilty.

#NationalSecurityLaw #PoliceState #PoliticalProsecution #Oppression

Image source: #FirstHand
Sources: Reuters, HKFP, UCA News; #May25
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-catholic-cardinal-criticises-china-deal-after-national-security-arrest-2022-05-24/

-----
Related News
Hong Kong Catholic group will not hold Tiananmen crackdown masses citing fears over national security law
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/32764

612 Fund Trustees and Secretary Plead Not Guilty for "Non-registered organisation" Charge
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/32751
.