| Briefing From stand With Hong Kong Two years ago on 24th November, Hongkongers demonstrated our desire for freedom and democracy by electing the largest number of pro-democracy District Councillors in history, with an overwhelming majority, the non-establishment camp gained control of 17 out of 18 District Councils. The District Council Election 2019 provided a clear mandate that Hongkongers demand genuine democracy and reject Beijing’s authoritarianism. In response, Beijing imposed the National Security Law, forced over half of the District Councillors to resign, whom many are now in exile, and completely rewrote Hong Kong’s electoral system. |
 |
| 389 elected, Only 62 survive In the 2019 District Council Election, pro-democracy and non-establishment camp took advantage of the Anti-Extraiditon Bill Movement to gain momentum, winning a historic record of 389 seats in all 18 district councils. However, the situation was reversed when the Chinese National People’s Congress redrew the regulations earlier this year to require all District Councillors to swear allegiance to the CCP regime. Following the HKSAR authority’s aggressive pursuit of salaries and subsidies in July, which triggered a wave of resignations by the democrats, and 30 District Councillors who were disqualified after taking oath. Of the 389 seats won by the pro-democracy camp in 2019, only 62 people are still in office. The rest have been disqualified due to invalid oaths, resignations, imprisonment for more than 3 months, and departure from Hong Kong. The Chinese regime is afraid to admit they have failed thoroughly the test of the ballot box. Instead of honouring the will of the people and its treaty promise, they redrew the rules, arrested and persecuted elected representatives, and crushed the little remaining civil liberties we once had. Many now in-exile former District Councillors are determined to continue to serve the Hongkongese community, despite all the challenges. SWHK will continue our unyielding support to our brave elected representatives, at home and abroad. |
 |
| Image: [Amnesty International] |
 |
| Films and books censored under NSL Two film screenings at a Hong Kong film festival have been cancelled after the city’s authorities declined to issue a Certificate of Approval. When Hong Kong passed a law in October to criminalise political filmmaking, many feared that this would happen and now the government is flexing their new muscles. The banned films were Piglet Piglet, about the 2020 Taiwanese presidential election, and The Cage, about totalitarian rule, capitalism, and resistance. Beijing’s increasingly paranoid totalitarian rule has also impacted Hong Kong’s public libraries, with 29 titles relating to the Tiananmen Massacre having been removed over the last 12 years and many more only available by special request. Hong Kong has always been a centre of publication and creativity in Asia, but the city’s reputation is fading away fast under the ‘new normal’. #PigletPiglet #TheCage |
 |
| Image: [Pedist] |
|
| Press ‘should promote national security’ The self-proclaimed Catholic , Carrie Lam, has urged the city’s media to “consciously safeguard national security”, “convey national security messages” to the wider public, and “combat fake news”, as the state’s security apparatus continues its crackdown on press freedom. The Beijing puppet did not elaborate on what constituted misinformation, or indeed who would be the arbiter, opening up the plans to further criticism of state-driven censorship and an ever-tightening grip on Hong Kong’s now largely subdued media scene. Lam also warned that “if national security is not fully guaranteed, Hong Kong can’t enjoy long-term stability and all kinds of rights and freedoms, including press freedom, will lose their foundation”. These latest comments come not long after the famous Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) revealed that almost half of its members were considering leaving the city in the wake of growing concerns over the erosion of press freedoms since Beijing imposed the NSL. The survey found that 46 percent of respondents were considering leaving Hong Kong or already had plans to do so, while a staggering 84 percent of members said that the working environment for journalists had deteriorated since the security law’s introduction. |
 |
| Image: [Unsplash] |
|
| Inquiry in the actions of British Banks in Hong Kong In September 2021, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hong Kong decided to undertake an inquiry into the actions of British banks operating in Hong Kong. The inquiry is aiming to find out whether British banks have contributed to the suppression of human rights by the Hong Kong government and whether hongkongers have been unjustly denied access to their own funds. We are interested in hearing information from any individuals, organisations or banks with knowledge or experience of British banks operating in Hong Kong and of hongkongers being denied access to their own money. Submissions will close on 30th November 2021 at 11.59pm. Evidence can be submitted by post to 10 Polperro Mews, London, SE11 4TY or by email to [email protected]. Please note, we can only accept submissions in English. If you have any queries or problems with submitting in English, please contact us at [email protected]. |
|
| What can you do? By keeping an eye out for developments in Hong Kong, you are already part of an international community that monitors and ensures Hongkongers are not forgotten or left behind. Please consider amplifying our voices by: 1) Following us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube). 2) Tweeting about Hong Kong with #StandWithHongKong. 3) Asking your political representative(s) to re-examine trade deals with human rights abusers, including Beijing, to #HoldChinaAccountable. 4) Writing to your MP to urge them to #StandWithHK and impose sanctions for the unlawful restrictions imposed on Hong Kong. 5) Staying alert to security threats and the spread of disinformation online. |
