NEWSLETTER: Jimmy Lai receives honorary degree from the Catholic University of America in recognition for his fight for democracy and freedom.
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Every week, this newsletter will bring you the latest updates and developments concerning freedom in Hong Kong.
To subscribe to our newsletter, click here.
Jimmy Lai
Hong Kong human rights advocate and devout Catholic Jimmy Lai has been awarded an honorary degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., reported the Union of Catholic Asian News. Lai’s son Sebastian Lai accepted the degree on behalf of his father, who now has been in prison for more than 500 days. In awarding Lai with this honorary degree, the Catholic University of America recognises his tireless efforts in the fight for democracy and freedom. It comes just days after the arrest of Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun who had baptised Lai in 1997. Speaking of the award, CFHK President Mark Clifford, said “we thank the Catholic University of America for awarding an honorary degree to Jimmy Lai. This will remind the international community that Jimmy continues to be held for standing up for freedom of speech.”
The same week that Jimmy Lai was awarded an honorary degree for his fight for democracy and freedoms, he was told that his sham trial over national security and sedition charges will take place in the High Court in Hong Kong, reported the Hong Kong Free Press. Lai’s trial has already been stained with interference from Hong Kong officials, including the invocation of a national security judge on an alleged fraud trial.
Prisoners of Conscience
A Hong Kong court has adjourned the case of martial arts coach Denis Wong, who is accused of breaching the colonial-era sedition law, until July. His assistant Iry Cheung was denied bail for a second time on national security grounds even though she does not face such a charge, reported the Hong Kong Free Press. They both have been detained since March of this year; Wong is accused of inciting hatred against the Hong Kong government and violence through social media posts about his martial arts class.
Press
Hillway Press, one of the few independent publishers left in Hong Kong, has been denied participation in the city’s book fair “without any explanation,” reported the Hong Kong Free Press. Despite initially being invited, the publishing house, which was founded by a teacher who was injured in the 2019 protests, was later told that its invitation had been delayed due to technical issues, but no specifics were given. The publisher said in its statement, after the invitation was denied, that Hong Kong’s annual book fair will be a “thermometer measuring the freedom of publishing in Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong authorities are deliberating whether to block access to the private messaging service Telegram, reported Bloomberg. The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data is considering invoking regulations for the first time to restrict access to a platform, allegedly because Telegram has facilitated exposure of sensitive and personal data.
Censors backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have deleted references to a viral video that spawned the “last generation” meme, reported Radio Free Asia. The meme emerged as a form of protest over ongoing lockdowns, mass incarcerations and compulsory testing under its zero-Covid policy. The meme comes at a time when the CCP is hoping to get people to have more children amid concerns over a rapidly ageing and dwindling population in China.
In Other News
Beijing has censored the World Health Organisation’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for calling China’s Zero-Covid policy "not sustainable" following his talks with Chinese officials this month. Wion News reported that censors quickly scrubbed these comments off the Chinese internet, removing the Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website, post on the United Nation’s account, following which any search for the post was deemed illegal.
The ongoing human rights abuses and the crackdown on freedoms and democracy in Hong Kong since the introduction of the National Security Law have forced Hong Kongers to escape to Taiwan in boats, reported The Print.
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, is expected to visit the Solomon Islands this month, in a move that has heightened fears that Beijing plans to establish a naval base on the strategic Pacific territory, reported The Telegraph. Wang is expected to sign a contentious and secretive security pact with the Solomons government during the trip, Beijing’s first known bilateral security agreement in the Pacific.
Hong Kong human rights advocate and devout Catholic Jimmy Lai has been awarded an honorary degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., reported the Union of Catholic Asian News. Lai’s son Sebastian Lai accepted the degree on behalf of his father, who now has been in prison for more than 500 days. In awarding Lai with this honorary degree, the Catholic University of America recognises his tireless efforts in the fight for democracy and freedom. It comes just days after the arrest of Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun who had baptised Lai in 1997. Speaking of the award, CFHK President Mark Clifford, said “we thank the Catholic University of America for awarding an honorary degree to Jimmy Lai. This will remind the international community that Jimmy continues to be held for standing up for freedom of speech.”
The same week that Jimmy Lai was awarded an honorary degree for his fight for democracy and freedoms, he was told that his sham trial over national security and sedition charges will take place in the High Court in Hong Kong, reported the Hong Kong Free Press. Lai’s trial has already been stained with interference from Hong Kong officials, including the invocation of a national security judge on an alleged fraud trial.
Prisoners of Conscience
A Hong Kong court has adjourned the case of martial arts coach Denis Wong, who is accused of breaching the colonial-era sedition law, until July. His assistant Iry Cheung was denied bail for a second time on national security grounds even though she does not face such a charge, reported the Hong Kong Free Press. They both have been detained since March of this year; Wong is accused of inciting hatred against the Hong Kong government and violence through social media posts about his martial arts class.
Press
Hillway Press, one of the few independent publishers left in Hong Kong, has been denied participation in the city’s book fair “without any explanation,” reported the Hong Kong Free Press. Despite initially being invited, the publishing house, which was founded by a teacher who was injured in the 2019 protests, was later told that its invitation had been delayed due to technical issues, but no specifics were given. The publisher said in its statement, after the invitation was denied, that Hong Kong’s annual book fair will be a “thermometer measuring the freedom of publishing in Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong authorities are deliberating whether to block access to the private messaging service Telegram, reported Bloomberg. The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data is considering invoking regulations for the first time to restrict access to a platform, allegedly because Telegram has facilitated exposure of sensitive and personal data.
Censors backed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have deleted references to a viral video that spawned the “last generation” meme, reported Radio Free Asia. The meme emerged as a form of protest over ongoing lockdowns, mass incarcerations and compulsory testing under its zero-Covid policy. The meme comes at a time when the CCP is hoping to get people to have more children amid concerns over a rapidly ageing and dwindling population in China.
In Other News
Beijing has censored the World Health Organisation’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, for calling China’s Zero-Covid policy "not sustainable" following his talks with Chinese officials this month. Wion News reported that censors quickly scrubbed these comments off the Chinese internet, removing the Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website, post on the United Nation’s account, following which any search for the post was deemed illegal.
The ongoing human rights abuses and the crackdown on freedoms and democracy in Hong Kong since the introduction of the National Security Law have forced Hong Kongers to escape to Taiwan in boats, reported The Print.
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, is expected to visit the Solomon Islands this month, in a move that has heightened fears that Beijing plans to establish a naval base on the strategic Pacific territory, reported The Telegraph. Wang is expected to sign a contentious and secretive security pact with the Solomons government during the trip, Beijing’s first known bilateral security agreement in the Pacific.