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Aaron Mc Nicholas Profile picture
Aaron Mc Nicholas
@aaronMCN
Staff writer @thewirechina. Alumnus of @asianstudiesgu. Five years in Hong Kong. Formerly with @business @Storyful. Send tips to aaron.mcnicholas@thewire.media
Oct 30, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
On Monday, the trial of two former editors of the defunct Stand News will begin, in what is Hong Kong's first sedition case involving a media organisation in several decades.

The pair faces a maximum jail sentence of two years if convicted. Image @thewitnesshk has posted an analysis of the judgment in the sheep-and-wolves picture books case, which is the most recent interpretation the courts have offered for HK's sedition law.

@thewitnesshk are worth following for Chinese-language court coverage. thewitnesshk.com/%e7%be%8a%e6%9…
Aug 20, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
As promised, here is a timeline of the events described in the 30-page summary of facts read out at Andy Li's court hearing yesterday.

This is hopefully a more reader-friendly format than the original court document, which isn't organised chronologically. aaronmcn.substack.com/p/timeline-jim… Most of the events occurred before the enactment of the national security law.

In the six weeks between its enactment and Andy Li's arrest, the most consequential initiative he worked on was the campaign to persuade foreign countries to end their extradition agreements with HK.
Feb 24, 2021 • 12 tweets • 3 min read
The trial of six people who pleaded not guilty to rioting in Yuen Long on July 21, 2019, continued today.

The District Court judge spent considerable time picking apart the prosecution's opening statement, and it's worth documenting that in a thread: thestandnews.com/court/%E5%85%8… The judge first asked why the prosecution cited the events of July 16, when some #antiELAB protesters held a film screening in Yuen Long, and some people with opposing views confronted them.

The prosecution said this was the background to July 21, and the two events are related.
Feb 23, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Jimmy Lai's offer to make no public statements as a bail condition failed to satisfy the new judge, because it only accounted for one possible offence under the national security law, whereas the bail provision of the NSL refers to any act capable of damaging national security Image Jimmy Lai's lawyer further offered to cut off the Internet at Lai's home and regulate visitors in terms of the number of people coming and the length of their visits.

The government, meanwhile, brought up Lai's financial transactions and his latest arrest last week. Image
Feb 13, 2021 • 10 tweets • 4 min read
Some proposed amendments to the Immigration Ordinance are now getting even more media attention.

So it's worth sharing the HK government's explanation for the change, which some have described as a potential means to prevent anyone from leaving Hong Kong. legco.gov.hk/yr20-21/englis… Image Section 3 of the Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020, the section which has provoked this controversy, can be read below:

First and foremost, the section ought to be read together with whatever regulations come later as a result of it, which we haven't seen yet and can't pre-judge Image
Aug 25, 2020 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui has reportedly been arrested this morning. Three police officers arrived at his home to do a search. The reason is as yet unclear. Image Hui’s party colleague @cheuktinglam has also been arrested. According to @HKDemocrats, the arrests relate to a case from last year at Tuen Mun Park.

More significantly, @HKDemocrats reported the police as saying that Lam Cheuk-ting is accused of rioting on July 21, 2019. Image
Aug 21, 2020 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
The motorcyclist charged under the national security law has had his habeas corpus application denied on procedural grounds. His bail hearing continues next week.

More importantly, the court rejected the view that the national security law includes a "no bail" provision. Image Although these are early days in judicial interpretation of the national security law, the High Court has taken the view that the impact of Article 42 of the NSL is "more apparent than real" and the criteria for granting bail will not be different in the vast majority of cases. Image
Aug 20, 2020 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
After a video showing a woman being led into a car by plainclothes officers spread online today, @hkpoliceforce condemned those accusing them of kidnap.

Police said a 26-year-old was lawfully arrested in Wan Chai today on suspicion of accessing a computer with dishonest intent. Image It’s now reported that the arrested woman is a staff member at the Immigration Department, and is accused of using her access to ImmD’s system to enable the doxxing of thousands of people, including police officers, judges, civil servants and lawmakers. thestandnews.com/politics/%E8%A…
Aug 18, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Asked how she would respond to expressions of concern by the international community regarding Jimmy Lai's arrest, Carrie Lam said: "I hope you will see the hidden agenda behind such concerns."

Lam then cited "double standards" regarding Hong Kong postponing its elections. Image Asked about the impact of US sanctions, Lam said: "Despite some inconvenience in my personal affairs, that is nothing that I will take to heart at all. We will continue to do what is right."
Aug 17, 2020 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
Wen Wei Po reports on its front page that @SunnyCheungky, one of the most visible advocates throughout 2019 for the passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, has fled the city and is now in the UK. Image In December 2017, a report from Wen Wei Po was the first public indication that Ray Wong had fled Hong Kong.

That was a time when the idea of a member of HK's political opposition absconding was novel, let alone subsequently being granted political asylum
Aug 9, 2020 • 16 tweets • 6 min read
Mark Simon from Next Media reports Jimmy Lai being arrested, yet again, this time apparently on suspicion of violating the national security law TVB also now reporting the arrest has taken place, apparently on suspicion of a national security law violation and also a fraud offence news.tvb.com/instant/5f308a…
Aug 6, 2020 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Figo Chan, one of 13 activists prosecuted over this year’s June 4 vigil, was told today that he faces no fewer than 10 charges

Two counts of announcing an unauthorised assembly
Three counts of inciting others to take part
Two counts of organising
Three counts of participating Image In addition, @joshuawongcf has been told that he too will be prosecuted for participating in an unauthorised assembly on June 4

Wong is already wrapped up in a court case over the June 2019 Police HQ siege; his legal battles are far from over Image
Jul 30, 2020 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
Tsuen Wan district councillor and former student activist Lester Shum has been disqualified from running in the LegCo election facebook.com/shumlester/pho… Southern district councillor and former Demosisto activist Tiffany Yuen has also been disqualified facebook.com/kawaitiffany/p…
Jul 29, 2020 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Student Localism, which claims to exist only as an overseas group now, says that its former Hong Kong convenor Tony Chung Hon-lam has been arrested on suspicion of inciting others to commit secession, an offence under the national security law. The group refers to him being arrested by 國安 (national security agents), which doesn't indicate whether it's the national security department of the Hong Kong police, which is a local law enforcement branch, or the Office for Safeguarding National Security, which is non-local.
Jul 27, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Dominic Lee, now running for LegCo with the New People's Party, has been impossible not to notice in recent months as he builds his social media audience.

@bbcchinese calls him a "deep blue, patriotic Internet celebrity who broke with the centrist camp." bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/… Lee: "In the new political situation, if we only rely on Hong Kong's institutional strengths, this may not be enough to meet the challenge Hong Kong is facing.

If the US interferes in our politics, including our elections, the central government helping us is a necessary thing." Image
Jul 24, 2020 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
The couple were acquitted of rioting today, after the judge found the evidence didn't conclusively prove they were present at the main site of police-protester clashes on July 28, 2019, let alone prove what their conduct was up until their arrests that day legalref.judiciary.hk/doc/judg/word/… The judge ruled the events of the day evolved from unlawful assembly to rioting shortly after 7pm when police moved to clear Des Voeux Road West and protesters started throwing objects.

The couple were arrested on a side street, away from the main site, at around the same time. Image
Jul 19, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Carrie Lam confirms the latest figures from the Centre for Health Protection show a 100+ case increase in confirmed infections today. New measures are set to be announced.

"The situation is really critical and there is no sign that the situation is being brought under control." Image "Starting from tomorrow, all policy bureaux and departments will only provide emergency and essential services."

Most counter services will be suspended and civil servants can work from home.
Jul 13, 2020 • 7 tweets • 1 min read
The results of the opposition camp’s primary are in, and the results show a clear victory for younger candidates:

Results by constituency follow: Hong Kong Island (88,688 voters)

1) Ted Hui Chi-fung: 27,357
2) Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai: 19,629
3) Fergus Leung Fong-wai: 14,601
4) Cheng Tat-hung: 10,889
5) Andy Chui Chi-kin: 7,800
6) Clarisse Yeung Suet-ying: 5,571
7) Michael Pang Cheuk-kei: 2,841
Jul 10, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Following news that the office of the Public Opinion Research Institute is being raided by police, primary election co-organiser Au Nok-hin said that he believed the incident is likely intended to create a deterrent effect ahead of the primary and urged citizens to stay calm Image Au added that there have not been any arrests made as of now
Jun 30, 2020 • 33 tweets • 8 min read
Let's work our way through the document. The law has 66 articles in total and comes into effect on the day of publication i.e. immediately

I don't propose to translate all 66 articles; just those that strike me as particularly noteworthy. Lots to unpack. gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/2… Article 2: Regarding the HKSAR's basic legal status, this is stipulated by the fundamental provisions of Article 1 and Article 12 of the Basic Law. In the exercise of their rights and freedoms, any HKSAR institution, organisation or individual must not violate Article 1 and 12.
Jun 30, 2020 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Joshua Wong has announced that he is departing @demosisto, the political group that he co-founded in 2016. Wong says that he will now "act on his beliefs" in a personal capacity.

Wong cited the national security law, remarking that worrying about one's life is no longer basless. Image Another co-founder, @nathanlawkc, has also announced his departure from the group, saying that he will continue to participate in the resistance movement in his own name. Image