Thread by @WilliamYang120

Today, one of the important figures in #HongKong's pro-democracy movement, Albert Ho, announced his resignation from some of the organizations that he has long dedicated his career. Here's a thread looking back to some of the last few interviews I did with him:

Prior to the day when #NSL came into effect, he talked about how he viewed the highly controversial law and why the law will destroy the longstanding tradition of judicial independence in #HongKong: williamyang-35700.medium.com/national-secur…

"I think all the directions and opinions given by this Beijing’s representative will be binding on the council. After all, this national security council will become a super power center, and it will be the highest executive body in Hong Kong."

"Also, the power of interpretation of this law rests on the National People’s Congress’ Standing Committee. Even the court of final appeal in Hong Kong has to defer the final power of interpretation of the national security law to Beijing."

"We have all these superpower institutions imposed on Hong Kong, so how can Hong Kong people rest assured that our freedom and liberty would not be in danger."

"In China, they said they have open trials, but as a matter of fact when we look at the case of Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang, every time the wife was only given two hours by notice that a trial will commence, and ...

... the family members would not even be able to book a seat in the court, because the court claimed that all seats are booked by other people."

"Also, last week, Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng, who was sentenced to four years in jail, after being detained for 18 months. The lawyers and family were only told after the trial was held behind closed doors. The law doesn’t really work out in practice."

"Hong Kong people have heard too much about these examples, as well as people being disappeared without even informing their family members. We have a lot of agreement to demand the government concerning notification in case Hong Kong residents were detained in China."

"We simply have no confidence in Beijing’s promise regarding guaranteeing procedural justice. One of the most fatal aspects of this national security legislation is that they also have the power to exercise jurisdiction over some exceptional cases."

"I think Beijing is seeking to pass the law just in time to enable them to exercise control over the legislative council election. One probable possibility is that there will be provisions empowering the electoral officers...

... responsible for vetting the validity of candidacy, which in the past was just a formal process."

"I think freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of flow of information would be severely undermined by the national security law. This freedom is a very central feature of Hong Kong, and it is part of the pillar that makes Hong Kong so successful."

"In the times to come, when we have the four categories of crime, we should understand the way similar laws work in China, then we can anticipate certain speech would be easily categorized as inciting subversion of state power."

"In the times to come, the Hong Kong government would use the law to restrict many public activities that we used to hold. For instance, this year’s Tiananmen Vigil was unreasonably banned.

This time, they can use public health reasons to ban it, but next year, they won’t be able to use the same reason to ban the gathering."

"However, there will be a point when we can no longer retreat, then we have to stand up. We will continue to speak up but we will abide by the rule of non-violence.

The only way for us to sustain the movement and to protect Hong Kong’s core values and freedom is to abide by the principles of rationality and non-violence.

I want to say that we will not retreat and there is a certain line that we have to stand on. We have to firmly protect some of our basic freedoms, which is fundamental for us to preserve our existing way of life."

And in April this year, after seven prominent pro-democracy figures were given sentences for participating in a peaceful rally in August 2019, Ho talked about the importance to keep speaking the truth under the chilling atmosphere in #HongKong: williamyang-35700.medium.com/albert-ho-to-p…

"I must confess that there is no room for optimism nowadays in Hong Kong. In the old days, including those days under the colonial era, it was not the government’s policy to prosecute people for holding, organizing or participating in peaceful assembly."

"The police are now very determined to prosecute even many months after the procession and on the day after we were convicted, we were surprised to hear that the prosecutors asked the judge to consider imposing a custodial sentence."

"They are very vicious in seeking to clamp down the procession in the times to come, but also trying to target political leaders who have been organizing or urging people to come out to express their views."

"This will most certainly lead to other cases where the prosecution will similarly press for conviction and urge the court to put the offenders in jail."

"The most memorable incidents are those days immediately before and shortly after the June Fourth Massacre in 1989. On many occasions, over one million people or several hundreds of thousands of people marched on the street."

"Many activists are now being locked behind bars waiting for the completion of the police investigation. Even the charges are very shaky. Their evidence is also very flimsy. "

"I believe the court is under tremendous pressure because there are also voices from the local pro-Beijing press that some people who can’t be sentenced under the local judicial system may face the risk of being taken back to China under the national security law."

"All of this created a very chilling atmosphere. I won’t say that our judicial system has completely fallen apart because there are still judges who are professional and courageous. However, the pressure is tremendous."

"We are facing a very difficult time and the worse has yet to come. It’s something we have to realize. Hong Kong is our home and we love this place."

"We feel that we have the obligation to uphold the values embraced by the local society. We must stand firm on our conviction and belief and start with the basic things that we have to uphold, which is to speak the truth."

"This is to allow us to live in truth and to speak truth against the power. We are not encouraging people to come out to confront the police and to deliberately breach the law by civil disobedience at every moment. "

"We have to prepare to face certain legal consequences by speaking the truth and exercising our freedom of expression."

"I know it’s difficult and I know many people will be scared. Yet, we have to protect this place and to protect the values that we treasure. Without these values, Hong Kong will no longer be the Hong Kong that we love and we have been embracing."

"We need to stand firm, do our duties as citizens and speak the truth and say no to whatever that we think it’s not right."

"I would just hope that all those people who love Hong Kong and with affection to Hong Kong will continue to have concerns over our present situation and our future."

"Also to speak the truth. The most important thing is to speak the truth, so people do know what is right and what is wrong. What is real and what’s false. I think that’s very basic."

"There may be different ways for people to contribute or help Hong Kong people. It’s up to them to decide. We hope that we wouldn’t be left alone or completely isolated. I believe that people do care about Hong Kong and they will speak out for Hong Kong."