Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #HKGOV
Most recents (24)
a friend needs to travel to #hongkong urgently for funeral, i can't imagine #HKGOV #covid website not a single word abt what to do in this scenario, i also don't understand the scientific rationale of travel bans still w/ so many local transmission already cutt.ly/RA8ZvEq
i'm happy to be told i am wrong & someone can point me to the right direction, but i think at time like these we all need more compassion for people who have lost their family members & understand what they're going thru
Friend called numerous hotlines & finally told no exceptions & do washout period like everyone else. This would serve as a testimonial for historians that how citizens are enduring unnecessary pains due to disregard of peoples circumstances by public health policies.
[#AntiELAB Movement vs #UmbrellaMovement: are #HKers walking on the old path?]
1.1/ #HK's protests have indeed reduced due to the #COVID19 and the #NationalSecurityLaw. #HKGov mass arrests protestors, and crackdown on the education, mass media, medical and judicial industries.
1.1/ #HK's protests have indeed reduced due to the #COVID19 and the #NationalSecurityLaw. #HKGov mass arrests protestors, and crackdown on the education, mass media, medical and judicial industries.
1.2/ But, NO, we're not walking the old path of division between different sides in the pro-democracy bloc. In fact, we're winning. Here's why:
2/ In 2014,
- 70% of polls call for the occupation to stop
- Division within Pro-democracy bloc
- Average results in the District Council Election
- Pro-Beijing bloc gained 57% seats in Legislative Council
- #CCP's economic diplomacy is doing well
- Few countries support HK
- 70% of polls call for the occupation to stop
- Division within Pro-democracy bloc
- Average results in the District Council Election
- Pro-Beijing bloc gained 57% seats in Legislative Council
- #CCP's economic diplomacy is doing well
- Few countries support HK
[First judge resigns amid #nationalsecuritylaw]
1. Appalled to hear that our prominent #Australian judge James Spigelman resigned from #HK appeals court over #NSL, days after #Beijing claims there is no separation of powers in HK
abc.net.au/news/2020-09-1…
1. Appalled to hear that our prominent #Australian judge James Spigelman resigned from #HK appeals court over #NSL, days after #Beijing claims there is no separation of powers in HK
abc.net.au/news/2020-09-1…
2. Spigelman is the first senior judge to resign under #NSL, which allows city leader to select judges to handle national security cases. It sends an alarm signal to the world about the erosion of autonomy and judicial independence that this international financial hub relies on.
3. #HKers can also be taken to #China’s courts w/o legal access, just like #12hkyouths now detained for nearly one month. Their family-instructed lawyers are reportedly forced to quit the case under #Beijing's pressure.
[HK judge hails pro-#CCP assailant while he stabs activist and throws death threat at me]
1. A pro-#Beijing assailant, Wong, was hailed by #HK judge for his “passion to society” while Wong stabbed democracy ex-lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung with a pointed metal chisel.
1. A pro-#Beijing assailant, Wong, was hailed by #HK judge for his “passion to society” while Wong stabbed democracy ex-lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung with a pointed metal chisel.
2. Wong said if he has a gun, he will use it to shoot Leung. He even publicly threw death threats on court, saying "Joshua Wong & Ted Hui must die”. But without slamming his reckless words, judge praised Wong for being “willing to contribute to society" and released him on bail.
[Thread] Sept 8, 2020: POP releases popularity figures of CE and Secretaries of Departments
The latest popularity of the HK CE and Principal Officials remains low. #HongKong #HK #HKGov #CarrieLam
The latest popularity of the HK CE and Principal Officials remains low. #HongKong #HK #HKGov #CarrieLam
1/ CE #CarrieLam:
Popularity rating = 28.1 marks, 50% participants give her 0 rating
Net popularity = -48 percentage points
These figures have not changed much from half a month ago
Popularity rating = 28.1 marks, 50% participants give her 0 rating
Net popularity = -48 percentage points
These figures have not changed much from half a month ago
2/ Secretaries of Departments:
Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung
Popularity rating = 28.5 marks
Net popularity = -39 percentage points
Financial Secretary Paul Chan
Popularity rating = 35.5 marks
Net popularity = -18 percentage points
…
Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung
Popularity rating = 28.5 marks
Net popularity = -39 percentage points
Financial Secretary Paul Chan
Popularity rating = 35.5 marks
Net popularity = -18 percentage points
…
[Trapped in the black hole -
After two-week detention in #China, still no update abt 12 HK #AsylumSeekers]
1. Only thing we know is they are all taken to detention centre in #Shenzhen & Chinese cops will decide whether to arrest them formally by Oct 1, according to #China’s law
After two-week detention in #China, still no update abt 12 HK #AsylumSeekers]
1. Only thing we know is they are all taken to detention centre in #Shenzhen & Chinese cops will decide whether to arrest them formally by Oct 1, according to #China’s law
2. But even after the arrest, there's still a huge question mark on when they will be prosecuted, put on trial and how long trial will last. Prosecution can be further delayed if Chinese prosecutors claim they need “supplementary investigation”. It will be like an endless tunnel.
3. Under #China's law, suspects can be released on bail. But in reality, especially when all the #asylumseekers may face further charges under #China's #nationalsecuritylaw and other criminal laws, the chance of bail is slim.
[In every 700 #Hongkongers, one was arrested because of #HongKongProtests]
1. Since the outbreak of #HKprotests last year, 9672 #HKers have been arrested when they protested against injustice, with 2093 prosecuted.
1. Since the outbreak of #HKprotests last year, 9672 #HKers have been arrested when they protested against injustice, with 2093 prosecuted.
2. With arrestees from 11yo kid to 84yo elderly, #hkpolice is now staging the biggest political purge across generations in the city, especially at the time when #hkgov attempting to rewrite history, whitewash #policebrutality and censor textbooks.
3. You may wonder what #HKers can still do under draconian #nationalsecuritylaw, arbitrary arrests, unchecked police violence that even targets pregnant women, and also the detentions of 12 asylum seekers in #China, with their fate still unknown for nearly 2 weeks.
[Cancelling separation of powers in #HK]
1. #Carrielam claimed today there's no separation of powers in HK after #HKGov’s recent textbook censorship. Even the next Chief Justice that she appointed, Andrew Cheung, said in 2008 that separation of powers is enshrined in Basic Law.
1. #Carrielam claimed today there's no separation of powers in HK after #HKGov’s recent textbook censorship. Even the next Chief Justice that she appointed, Andrew Cheung, said in 2008 that separation of powers is enshrined in Basic Law.
2. More ridiculously, education bureau once published a slide in 2011 on its website citing Court of Final Appeal judge that HK practised separation of powers. But in order to fit the new narrative, #Hkgov just deleted the slide today.
3. In fact, the city’s Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Geoffrey Ma, had once rebutted the "no separation of powers" narrative in 2014, but #Carrielam insisted today that local courts have to be responsible to #Beijing.
[First anniversary of #831 #PrinceEdward attack]
1. In the past year, everything worsens in #HK, with a draconian #NationalSecurityLaw imposed, textbooks censored, #hkprotesters forced into exile, and the fate of 12 asylum seekers now left unknown during detention in #China.
1. In the past year, everything worsens in #HK, with a draconian #NationalSecurityLaw imposed, textbooks censored, #hkprotesters forced into exile, and the fate of 12 asylum seekers now left unknown during detention in #China.
2. Recently #hkpolice just started to rewrite the history of #PoliceBrutality, turning lies into truths. From tomorrow on, #HKgov will impose a citywide DNA collection, which is considered as a prelude to more sophisticated surveillance regime in #Hongkong.
[Say no to digital authoritarianism,
Boycott universal testing]
1. Defying doubts, #HKgov will impose universal testing in #HK, a citywide DNA collection viewed as a way for more surveillance. Medical experts repeatedly raised concerns below that are completely ignored by gov:
Boycott universal testing]
1. Defying doubts, #HKgov will impose universal testing in #HK, a citywide DNA collection viewed as a way for more surveillance. Medical experts repeatedly raised concerns below that are completely ignored by gov:
2. No inflow curb: test can only be achieved w/ full border seal, stay-at-home order & full population testing in short time. All don’t exist in HK. As #Hkgov now exempt tens of thousands ppl from quarantine, main factor for #HK third wave, the test is deemed to failure w/ leaks.
3. High false-negative rate: #COVID19 studies suggest that false-negative rate of current testers ranges from 20% to 100%. This unreliable testing result will create a misleading virus-free perception, which will further worsen the outbreaks in the community.
[Biggest rewriting of history]
1 Today #hkpolice arrested lawmaker @cheuktinglam for rioting, just because Lam tried to mediate situation one year ago when #HKers were assaulted by pro-#Beijing mobs after making 24,000 emergency calls, without response.
1 Today #hkpolice arrested lawmaker @cheuktinglam for rioting, just because Lam tried to mediate situation one year ago when #HKers were assaulted by pro-#Beijing mobs after making 24,000 emergency calls, without response.
2. #hkpolice are found rewriting history today. A year ago when #Hkers were attacked by mobs, police publicly admitted they came 39 minutes late, the same figure in the police watchdog report, but police claimed the delay should be 18 minutes.
3. When cops were caught by media cameras patting the white-clad mobs’ shoulders, police claimed they were pushing him at that time.
[US consulate staff in #HK was assaulted by a Chinese national]
#BREAKING: When #US and #China made some progress on trade, an American working for the US consulate general #Hongkong @USAinHKMacau was assaulted by a Chinese national from behind.
scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
#BREAKING: When #US and #China made some progress on trade, an American working for the US consulate general #Hongkong @USAinHKMacau was assaulted by a Chinese national from behind.
scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
2. The attack took place near the main entrance of the consulate today. The assailant approached the victim from behind & punched twice in his head, right at the moment when the victim left the consulate. The consulate is located in an area regularly patrolled by #hkpolice.
3. It's the first time that consulate staffs fall victim to physical attack in this international city where personal safety is claimed to be protected by the law.
1/ THREAD: After political censorship in Liberal Studies textbooks, #HKgov is moving on to the Chinese language curriculum, axing several required texts for the examination next year.
Here’s why it’s important.
#StandWithHongKong
Here’s why it’s important.
#StandWithHongKong
2/ @rthk_news reports that 1 of the 2 axed Classical Chinese texts is a historic political essay by Su Xun from the Sung Dynasty titled “On the Six States”, often quoted in recent years by #Hongkongers as a lesson from history.
@rthk_news 3/ It comments on the historic "Warring States Period", where the state of Qin eventually devoured 6 other states and "united the land as one." Read the text below to find out why it was quoted by #Hongkongers:
[#HKgov told right lawyers: #Hkpolice's shooting in #Hkprotesters’ chest is “reasonable”]
1. On Oct 1 last year, an 18yo student was shot in his chest by live bullet fired at point-blank range, 3cm from his heart with bullet fragments scattering around his ribs, lung and chest.
1. On Oct 1 last year, an 18yo student was shot in his chest by live bullet fired at point-blank range, 3cm from his heart with bullet fragments scattering around his ribs, lung and chest.
2. But when he sued for injury compensation, #HK legal aid dept, not only unreasonably rejected his request but also prejudicially supported #HKpolicebrutality, saying "the use of force by the Police at the material time was reasonable" before trials and rulings even begin.
3. Legal Aid Dept is heavily blasted for its tightening scrutiny on legal aid applications, esp for cases related to gov misconducts. But it is the first time for the dept to make such an irresponsible judgment before trials. Plaintiff doesn't even know the date of hearing yet.
[City-wide testing by three #China-based laboratories, with one allegedly involved in DNA collections of #Uyghurs]
1/ #Hkgov has just announced a city-wide #Covid19 testing. Without proper tendering procedures, #Carrielam directly granted 150,000,000 HKD for the project.
1/ #Hkgov has just announced a city-wide #Covid19 testing. Without proper tendering procedures, #Carrielam directly granted 150,000,000 HKD for the project.
2/ They project of Hong Kong government invited three mainland-based laboratories: Sunrise Diagnostic Centre, China Dragon Inspection and Certification and Prenetics.
[The city's largest-ever DNA collection by #China]
1. Starting from today, #Beijing will send medical personnel from China to #HK for mass testing. Just like #nationalsecuritylaw legislation, the decision is unilaterally imposed without public consultation.
1. Starting from today, #Beijing will send medical personnel from China to #HK for mass testing. Just like #nationalsecuritylaw legislation, the decision is unilaterally imposed without public consultation.
2. Up to now, Beijing and #hkgov fail to provide details primarily about how DNA samples will be used during and after test, and whether those samples collected will be sent to Mainland afterwards.
3. Worse still, even the city’s head in charge of controlling #covid19 never heard of the plan. As a result, it casts more doubts on whether #China is imposing genetic surveillance in #HK while #hkpolice recently took DNA swabs of #hkprotesters under sweeping #nationalsecuritylaw
[#Beijing is paving ways to disqualify pro-democracy candidates]
1. Despite 610,000+ #HKers voting in first-ever #hkprimaries, pro-democracy candidates started receiving letters from #HKgov questioning their political stances, including whether they support #nationalsecuritylaw
1. Despite 610,000+ #HKers voting in first-ever #hkprimaries, pro-democracy candidates started receiving letters from #HKgov questioning their political stances, including whether they support #nationalsecuritylaw
2. The letters have been long considered as the way to disqualify election runners since the electoral officers have huge powers to bar any candidates from running the election.
3. Slightly different from previous cases, the scope this time is unprecedentedly broader, not only limited to the young and progressive candidates but also those of the traditional political parties.
[#Nationsecuritylaw changes business-political nexus]
1. Excellent story by @TheEconomist with insights on how #NSL imperils #HK’s business environment, impartiality and gov role, while #Beijing claims the law will not affect business confidence.
economist.com/china/2020/07/…
1. Excellent story by @TheEconomist with insights on how #NSL imperils #HK’s business environment, impartiality and gov role, while #Beijing claims the law will not affect business confidence.
economist.com/china/2020/07/…
2. Once Beijing introduces a security agency in HK with a mechanism that encourages people to snitch each other, it completely undermines the city's impartiality as a commercial arbitration centre in the region, especially when business dispute involve clients from China.
3. Don't forget the law covers expats and foreign institutions and criminalizes “invoking hatreds towards governments” and “leaking national security-related information”.
[HKers’ resolute voice: Higher-than-expected turnout on Day 1 primary]
1. Well exceeding the target turnout of two-day election, almost 234,000 #HKers hv already cast votes solely on the 1st day of pro-democracy primaries, a day after #hkpolice has raided co-organisers' office.
1. Well exceeding the target turnout of two-day election, almost 234,000 #HKers hv already cast votes solely on the 1st day of pro-democracy primaries, a day after #hkpolice has raided co-organisers' office.
2. Free from political censorship, this primary is the first, and probably the last primary election for pro-democracy camps since #hkgov has already accused the primaries of breaching the #nationalsecuritylaw.
3. In this last free election, wave after wave of elderly, parents and youths flocked to polling stations to send a clear message to the world: We will not bow to tyranny and we will fight until our last breath.
[On brink of collapse, #NationalSecurityLaw will be passed by JUNE 30]
1. Against all critics, #nationalsecurity legislation is effectively a done deal. Far earlier than previously expected, the law will be passed on or before JUNE 30, on eve of anniversary of #HK's transfer.
1. Against all critics, #nationalsecurity legislation is effectively a done deal. Far earlier than previously expected, the law will be passed on or before JUNE 30, on eve of anniversary of #HK's transfer.
2. Just like Chinese style cover-ups, the full draft of the law will be made public ONLY AFTER its passage, as a maneuver to reduce dissenting voices in general public. Once the law is passed, it will be used as the new weapon to crush dissidents.
3. By far, I see at least three fatal impacts: 1) Tailor-made offences for key activists and foreigners based on diplomatic needs, 2) Cut-throat damage to judicial independence, and 3) Beijing's direct rule by installing China's institution in the territory of Hong Kong.
1/ Ignoring domestic and global concerns, Beijing announced the drafted #nationalsecuritylaw that casts even more doubts. The law erodes #HK’s common law jurisdictions as local courts are NOT allowed to interpret the law once disputes arise.
2/ Local courts are also NOT allowed to give a milder interpretation of the offence to protect human rights. The interpretation power is exclusively assigned to #Beijing’s top legislature Standing Committee of the NPC.
3/ It means the law only allows “human rights with Chinese characteristics”. Beijing completely ignores the concerns raised by the Bar Association about how the new law can abide by international standards like ICCPR.
[This year might be the last year of annual #TiananmenVigil in #Hongkong]
1. 31 years ago, Beijing crushed dissents with tanks and guns. 31 years later, Beijing is ripping out our democratic aspiration with a tyrannical law.
1. 31 years ago, Beijing crushed dissents with tanks and guns. 31 years later, Beijing is ripping out our democratic aspiration with a tyrannical law.
2. At the time when #Beijing is unilaterally imposing the draconian #NationalSecurityLaw upon #Hongkong, this year might be the last year that Hongkongers can talk about #TiananmenSquareMassacre publicly.
3. Even before this evil law is implemented, #HKgov has already tightened its grip by banning this years’ candlelight vigil for the first time in 30 years. To block #Hongkongers from joining the vigil, the venue was locked down w/ barricades, with thousands of #hkpolice deployed.
DEMOSISTO: RESPONSE TO US SECRETARY POMPEO OFFICIAL DECERTIFICATION OF HONG KONG SPECIAL STATUS
1. #US StateSec Pompeo certified #HK no longer warrants differential treatment under US law as ‘No reasonable person can assert that HK maintains a high degree of autonomy from #China
1. #US StateSec Pompeo certified #HK no longer warrants differential treatment under US law as ‘No reasonable person can assert that HK maintains a high degree of autonomy from #China
2. His report to Congress mentioned 3 key events to his decision: NPCSC’s assertion of its right to interpret all #HK; #Liaisonoffice’s claim that it was exempt from Basic Law; and the #NationalSecurityLaw announced last week.
3. He applauded millions of #HKprotesters who have stood up to #Beijing’s encroachment. But in response, he noted, the #HKgov ‘deployed tear gas’ & ‘made mass arrests’, while China ‘reportedly dispatched its People’s Armed Police into HK’, breaching Basic Law& Joint Declaration.
1/ On the eve of HK's Tiananmen massacre vigil, Beijing is now scrapping its promise of #1country2systems by circumventing HK’s legislature and directly imposing the most controversial national security law #article23 upon Hong Kong.
2/ Although the law is highly contentious in #Hongkong, and widespread backlash broke out when #HKgov introduced the law in 2003, Beijing this time deliberately chooses to ram through this unpopular law by completely ignoring the will of #Hongkongers.
