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This week, with Labour Day falling on Wednesday, May 1st, and World Press Freedom Day following closely on Friday, May 3rd, CFHK Foundation had the opportunity to highlight some pillars of our societal values, honouring the rights of workers and the importance of a free press in our democratic societies. However, in places like Hong Kong and various parts of the world, these rights are brutally repressed.
The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation orchestrated large-scale wall projections on Tower Bridge in London to commemorate World Press Freedom Day. The projections highlighted the unjust detention of Jimmy Lai, the founder of Apple Daily, along with the incarceration of other journalists globally.
Similarly, large projections were targeted onto The Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office (HKETO) in Washington, D.C. The projections called for the passage of legislation to close the HKETO and urged the renaming of the street on which it sits to “Jimmy Lai Way,” signaling a call to action against the repression of journalists around the world.
CFHK Foundation also announced this week the hiring of Shannon Van Sant, who joins the Washington, D.C. office and will be advising on organisational development, government relations, and public affairs campaigns. Shannon worked as a journalist and OSINT analyst for nearly 20 years, living 11 of those years in Beijing and Hong Kong.
Jimmy Lai's Trial Update
The trial of Jimmy Lai continued May 3rd. Prosecution witness Chan Tsz-wah denied the fabrication of testimony in court to obtain a reduced sentence but admitted that he lied in his initial statements to police.
Detailed trial updates available here: Support Jimmy Lai
UK - Hong Kong
The CFHK Foundation was pleased to co-sponsor the UK-Hong Kong Symposium 2024, which successfully concluded Monday. The event, which was attended by over 120 Hong Kongers who have settled in the UK, facilitated insightful discussions, impactful networking, and strategic planning to address pressing issues facing Hong Kongers both in terms of cultural heritage and political engagement in the UK.
The Symposium featured speakers and guests such as Shadow Minister for Security Tom Tugendhat MP, Shadow Minister for Asia and the Pacific Catherine West MP, Lead of Jimmy Lai's Legal team Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive Benedict Rogers, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) Executive Director Luke de Pulford, first-ever BN(O) Councillor Ying Perrett, and Vice Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hong Kong Lord David Alton.
THE 'FLAME OF FREEDOM' BLOG🔥 - Special Edition for Labour Day
A Glimmer in the Darkness: My Three Comrades in the Hong Kong Independent Labour Movement
This blog is authored by Christopher Mung, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor.
“No matter how dark the era grows, those in power can arrest, put them on trial, or smear them, but they can never remove the humanity that shines through them. Guided by these glimmers of light, we grope through the darkness.”
Read More Here