4 June 2023 – The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation launched a video to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing.
In 1989, thousands were murdered by the hand of the Chinese Communist Party for calling for increased openness and democratic change across China. Despite China erasing the massacre from its public record – no words, no stories, no vigils allowed – Hong Kong was the last place connected to China where public memorials could be held.
In 2019, hundreds of thousands of people participated in a Tiananmen Square massacre vigil at Victoria Park in Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong banned the same vigils in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and these vigils remain outlawed under the National Security Law today. Multiple individuals including British citizen Jimmy Lai have been issued jail sentences for partaking in Tiananmen Square massacre vigils. Mirroring the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong authorities also removed references to the Tiananmen Square massacre from the libraries in Hong Kong this year.
Freedom in Hong Kong is fading. Yet, the Chinese Communist Party cannot erase history nor deny individuals from exercising their rights to speech, assembly and expression under international law.
The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation stands in solidarity with the millions who gather around the world today who remember. We will not forget.
Comments