Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #hkers

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THREAD: I want to share a few reflections & principles about why - & how - I try to support #HongKong's #FightForFreedom, have done so for the past 8 years

1. The most important point is that I have never, ever claimed to represent #HongKongers. All I try to do is support /
2. #HongKongers are among the most courageous, intelligent, creative, articulate, eloquent, brilliant people I know, and they're more than capable for speaking for themselves. I don't speak on their behalf, ever - I merely try to speak in support of and solidarity with them/
And why? For the following reasons:

1. #HongKong was once my home, it was where I began my career as a journalist & activist, & so I believe I have a responsibility to help fight for its future /
Read 12 tweets
[Birthday amid turmoils]

1. Today is my 24th birthday, but it has already been celebrated ahead of time in June, days before the enactment of the sweeping #nationalsecuritylaw.
2. Under #Beijing’s grip, when blank placards are regarded as subversive, w/ liberal books pulled from libraries and #TiananmenSquareMassacre censored, no #HKers can tell whether they'll be safe in the next minute. All we can do is fighting for the best & preparing for the worst
3. All I wish this year is another birthday meal with my family next year, the safe return of the #12hkyouths, and the release of thousands of freedom-seeking #Hkers now detained in prison. #save12
Read 4 tweets
[Finally, I have graduated!]

1. Today, I have received the graduate certificate from #OUHK, confirming that I have completed my Bachelor of Social Sciences (Politics and Public Administration) with Second Class Honours (Upper Divison) by the University's Senate. Image
2. Throughout my six years in college since the #UmbrellaMovement in 2014, I have been suspended from my studies because I was sentenced to imprisonment. I have also tried taking examinations in prison. Now that I have finally graduated, my wish has been fulfilled.
3. In the past 6 yrs, I'd like to thank my professors for caring me & my classmates for their understanding. Though the university is conservative & our president is rumouredly an underground CCP member, university never exerted pressure on me during my studies, which is not easy
Read 6 tweets
[#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. Image
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: Image
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 Image
Read 15 tweets
[#HKers doxxed by #Russia-based pro-#China website]

1. @AFP finds a shady site #HKLeaks ramps up doxxing campaign against pro-democracy #HKers from politicians, teachers, journalists, businessmen, ordinary citizens to expats, w/ names & addresses posted

france24.com/en/20200918-an…
2. Promoted by #Beijing loyalists and #CCP’s state mouthpiece, this #Russia-based website moved its domain multiple times and now migrated to Pakistani domain address. While 2000+ #Hongkongers were doxxed, #Hkpolice has charged no one over the doxxing campaign until now.
3. Similar #China-style snooping model may expand overseas, esp when #Chinese #military contractor #Zhenhua Data was found snooping 2.4M+ of politicians, businessmen, academics, celebrities & individuals. Clearly Zhenhua is just the tip of the iceberg. theguardian.com/world/2020/sep…
Read 4 tweets
[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…
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.
Read 4 tweets
[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. Image
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. Image
3. That’s another case that #Hongkong judges biasedly praise pro-#Beijing assailants. Earlier in April, HK judge hailed another assailant for having "noble sentiments” after he slashed three #HKers with beef knife, causing one's lung collapsed and wounds on their necks and backs. Image
Read 5 tweets
[#Portugese 🇵🇹 & #UK’s #BNO holders 🇬🇧 detained in #China for over 3 weeks]

1. Of the 12 #HKers detained in #China, one is reportedly #Portuguese passport holder while another two are #BNO holders. They are held w/o legal access, sparking growing concern of inhumane treatment. Image
2. It is worrying, under #nationalsecuritylaw, foreign passport holders are deprived of basic rights of access to family-appointed lawyers, which is claimingly promised in #China’s law, esp when 4 lawyers were forced to quit the case due to unusual pressure from #CCP authorities.
3. The twelve could be in China custody for a long time, without any trace. This worse scenario may unveil a new form of Chinese hostage diplomacy under growing tension between #EU & #China
Read 5 tweets
[On now-cancelled Election Day, I was tailed by unknown agents for 1.5 hours]

1. On the day supposed to be our election day, I was tailed by 4 unknown cars AGAIN for 1.5 hours+. At least one five-seater, one seven-seater Honda & one motorbike kept following me from east to west. ImageImageImage
2. Clearly #Beijing and #hkpolice attempt to create fear today when #Hongkongers staged protests urging gov to resume the #LegCo2020 election, opposing DNA collection and #nationalsecuritylaw and releasing 12 #hkers detained in #China.
3. #Police even fired pepper balls at #HKers that chanted “voting is a right” and expressed support to #Thailand and #Belarus, with nearly 100 arrested. #MilkTeaAlliancehttps://t.co/NDxJN473K3 ImageImageImageImage
Read 5 tweets
[From elected lawmaker to exiled freedom fighter, in four years time]

1. Four years ago today, my former colleague @nathanlawkc was elected as the youngest lawmaker in #Hongkong's history. Four years later, he is forced into exile. Image
2. At that time it was like a miracle when the final result was announced. Everybody cheered with joy at the central counting centre, with hopes in our eyes to make some changes in the rigged system that had lost its touch with the people completely. Image
3. Four years ago, no one would believe what had happened in #HK, with #policebrutality, arbitrary prosecution, draconian #NationalSecurityLaw, censorship, disqualification, election cancellation and media meltdown, with 9000+ #HKers arrested and 12 youths now detained in #China. ImageImageImageImage
Read 7 tweets
[HK #Asylumseekers with access to lawyers blocked]

1. Two weeks after pre-trial detention, Chinese cops blocked lawyers from getting access to the 12 HK #Asylumseekersdetained in #China, per @icablenews. Lawyers described the practice is unusual and without legal ground.
2. #Police also told lawyers that detainees may face graver charge, with maximum penalty raised from one year to 2-7 years, or even life imprisonment if they resisted with force during the arrest. Besides, #Beijing might also charge other national security offences.
3. Since it could be the first case that #HKers are put on trial in China’s secret court under #nationalsecuritylaw, we hope the world can keep watch on the situation and wish they can all come back safe. #save12hkyouths #save12hkyouth #save12
Read 3 tweets
[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.
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.
Read 4 tweets
@SecPompeo, save #HK kids pls!

“Today is 8.31 anniversary. #HKers came to Prince Edward Station to present flowers. At about 5 pm, #police searched a number of residents, including a #minor, whom was taken back to Mong Kok Police Station.”

#831MongkokAttack #StandWithHongKong Image
Read 3 tweets
[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. Image
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. Image
3. However, despite #Beijing's tightening grip, #HKers will continue our fight for democracy and liberty, because it is the only way to bring justice to the city’s next generations.

Photo: 非凡人物 Image
Read 3 tweets
[HK asylum seekers could be sent to #China's secret courts]

1. Twelve #HKers, all involved in #hkprotests, were detained by #China’s coast guard today when fleeing to #Taiwan for political asylum. All of them are now detained in #China. Image
2. It reportedly includes Andy Li, who was previously arrested under #nationalsecuritylaw, on the same day when pro-democracy media mogul #Jimmylai was arrested.
3. The news broke out after #hkpolice's recent move to rewrite history and arrest pro-democracy lawmakers, visa denials of foreign correspondents, disqualification of young runners, election cancellation and censorship of textbooks in schools.
Read 6 tweets
[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.
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. Image
Read 4 tweets
[Detainee faces indefinite detention & tortures in #HK]

1. A detainee from #India on hunger strike was brutally beaten by officers at Castle Peak Bay Immigration Center (CIC, aka "black prison"), before unwillingly sending to hospital for forced injection, per @appledaily_hk.
2. The victim, Vikramjeet Singh, was severely assaulted in a place not covered by CCTV cameras, with multiple bruises on wrists, arms and legs, as well as broken bones in chest and back. Impatient with Singh’s hunger strike, officers even scolded him, “go to die!”
3. Although #hkpolice claimed they would investigate the case, Singh has not given any copy of statement for more than 4 days since August 18, nor any case number. Worse still, #police prohibited Singh’s friends from taking pictures of his wounds for no reason.
Read 6 tweets
[#HKers calling on #Cellebrite to halt selling phone hacking technologies to #Belarus] #standwithbelarus

1/ Phone hacking tech is one of the weapons abused by authoritarian regimes to stamp out dissidents, in particular, crackdowns on leaderless movements in both Belarus and HK.
2/ Solely in #Hongkong, throughout #hkprotests last year, #hkpolice has been using Cellebrite's hacking technology to crack at least 4000 #Hkprotesters’ phones without consent, with our private conversation used by authoritarian regimes for political purges.
3/ Recently, a group of Israeli human rights lawyers have found that the investigation units of dictatorship in #Belarus have been using Cellebrite's forensic system, #UFED Touch, to break the defence systems in smartphones.
Read 8 tweets
[In the face of tyranny, #Hongkongers stand with the oppressed #Belarusian]

1. Although #police unreasonably fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters last week, tens of thousands of #Belarusian still took to streets and voiced their anger on #policebrutality.
2. From them, we can see the people’s courage, robust bonding with each other and their resolute determination for justice and democracy. These are what autocratic regimes cannot crush. These are what dictators fear most.
3. When scrolling through their biggest telegram channel, NEXTA Live, time and again I am impressed by #Belarusians’ creativity and vibrancy, when people generously provide shelters and donate medical resources.
Read 4 tweets
[My thought after HK police issued arrest warrants to my friends]
patreon.com/posts/39964797/

1/When #HKers hope to secure a historic majority in the upcoming election, Gov postponed election & asked #Beijing to deal with whether and how incumbent lawmakers can extend their tenure.
2/ It is widely expected that #Beijing will tighten its curb on the city’s legislature by setting up new rubber-stamp legislature without real oppositions. The rubber-stamp legislature is not new to #Hongkong.
3/ Earlier in 1997, #Beijing has once set up a provisional legislature with #Beijing handpicked members and no mandate from voters. The body had passed several draconian bills including stricter restrictions on assemblies, demonstrations and associations.
Read 10 tweets
[I was just disqualified from LegCo election, despite being the biggest winner in #Hkprimaries]

1. Few minutes ago, I was just disqualified from running in the upcoming LegCo election in #Hongkong, even though I got the highest vote share in the primary, w/ 30000+ votes obtained
2. The excuse they use is that I describe #nationalsecuritylaw as a draconian law, which shows that I do not support this sweeping law.
3. Despite 610,000+ #Hongkongers voting in #HK’s primary, #Beijing now staged the biggest-ever crackdowns on the city’s election, by disqualifying nearly all pro-democracy runners, from young progressive groups to traditional moderate parties.
Read 5 tweets
[When op-eds, open letters and speeches at public hearings become excuses of political screening]

1. Today I received the letter from #Hongkong's electoral officer, questioning my political stance, a ploy commonly used by #Beijing to disqualify candidates from election.
2. The letter quotes following as excuses:
-@appledaily_hk coverage of my speech at @CECCgov public hearing on #HK autonomy
-my @washingtonpost op-ed commenting on #Beijing’s move to expelling US journalists
-an open letter to @SecPompeo co-signed by disbanded @demosisto & #HKers
3. Clearly, under the new #nationalsecuritylaw, political screening covers candidates’ social media accounts, media interviews and election flyers. Even an op-ed piece could be framed as “colluding with foreign forces” and used as excuses for political purges.
Read 4 tweets
[#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 Image
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.
Read 3 tweets
[Nearly 600,000 HKers just cast votes and say no to tyranny]

1. Ever since #Hongkongprotests last year, I have never underestimated the grit, courage and perseverance of every single #Hongkonger when safeguarding the city’s autonomy and liberty amid #Beijing’s mounting threats. Image
2. When #China attempts to crush dissents with fear and force, nearly 600,000 #Hkers have used our actions today to ward off fear, cast ballots in this first and maybe last #hkprimaries and proved to the world that - Our spirit of resistance will not be killed. ImageImageImageImage
3. Even after the sweeping #nationalsecuritylaw comes into force, HKers have shown our determination for democracy, by protesting with blank white papers and casting ballots in #hkprimaries, in order to let our voices be heard by the world. Image
Read 5 tweets

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