HONG KONG – Hong Kong authorities awoke to a chorus of international condemnation today following the mass arrest of pro-democracy opposition figures under a draconian national security law that Beijing imposed on the finance hub.
Western nations accused Hong Kong authorities of “grave repression” and a “grievous attack” on the freedoms that were promised under the “One Country, Two Systems” setup when the British colony was returned to China.
More than 1,000 police officers detained 53 prominent figures – including a US citizen – in dawn raids yesterday on charges of “subversion”, a new national security crime that carries up to life in prison.
Demonstrations were also held in Hong Kong last night, to protest the arrests.
British foreign minister Dominic Raab called the detentions “a grievous attack on Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms” and said Beijing “deliberately misled the world about the true purpose” of the security law.
It is “being used to crush dissent and opposing political views", he added.
His Canadian counterpart Francois-Philipe Champagne called for those arrested to be released and described the operation as a “grave repression of political pluralism” that demonstrated a “further erosion” of “One Country, Two Systems”.
France issued a similar statement decrying the “continuing deterioration” of freedoms in Hong Kong.
The European Union also called for the release of those arrested while Antony Blinken, US president-elect Joe Biden’s pick for Secretary of State, said the incoming administration “will stand with the people of Hong Kong and against Beijing’s crackdown on democracy”.
The sweep was the latest salvo in Beijing’s battle to stamp out dissent in the semi-autonomous city after millions hit the streets in 2019 with huge and sometimes violent democracy protests.
The alleged offence of those arrested yesterday was to organise an unofficial primary last summer to decide who would stand as candidates for the city’s partially elected legislature in the hopes they might take a majority for the first time.
Many of those candidates were ultimately disqualified from standing and authorities scrapped the election because of the coronavirus.
Hong Kong police can hold anyone arrested for up to 48 hours before they must be presented in court.
Those charged with national security crimes are not usually granted bail.
The national security law was imposed on Hong Kong in late June in response to the 2019 protests, targeting acts Beijing deems to be secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
Over the course of the last year, prominent democracy supporters have been arrested, jailed, barred from politics or have fled overseas. – AFP, January 7, 2021
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