by Li Ping

National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) will pass Hong Kong’s National Security Law (NSL) today. As the evil law ascends, the death of One Country, Two Systems is inevitable. Rumors of famous pro-democracy figures being arrested and sent to China to stand trial is spreading like wildfire, which inflames Hongkongers’ sense of fear towards the CCP. The protestors are willing to be taken to court and go to jail in Hong Kong, but it might be too much to bear if they were to be sent to China and be tortured. The evil law using tortures as a threat to suppress Hong Kong protests may last a while, but looking back at the past year with Hongkongers’ “Be Water” protest acumen, the syncing of the US and Europe in their anti-CCP stances and actions, and CCP’s laughable “counter-sanctions” towards the US sanctions; it is easy to see: the Hong Kong protest movement would not die, Hong Kong would not die.

The legislation and enforcement of Hong Kong’s NSL signifies the stripping of the legislative power, independent judicial power and final adjudication power of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). It announces Hongkongers freedom of speech, press and academic freedom will be taken away. This is like a death certificate for “One Country, Two Systems”. CCP and Hong Kong’s pro-CCP camp keeps emphasizing NSL’s deterrent power, saying punishments should be heavy and stringent; however, their so-called “deterrent power” is not coming from the integrity of the law, nor from the legal-binding powers in accordance to the International Convention. It comes from torturing – a long-existing problem within CCP’s judicial system, which the Hongkongers would face head-on once the wall separating China and Hong Kong rule of law is demolished.

June 26 is the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. On this day, the United Nations official posted on their official website, “Torture seeks to annihilate the victim’s personality and denies the inherent dignity of the human being. Despite the absolute prohibition of torture under international law, torture persist in all regions of the world. Concerns about protecting national security and borders are increasingly used to allow torture and other forms of cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment.”

Despite China being one of the signatory states of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, we often hear horror stories where tortures are being used to draw confessions and inhumane, severe punishments are used against defendants. Human rights attorneys like Gao Zhisheng and Wang Quanzhang have both suffered tortures in China. What Hongkongers are afraid to face, is torture in the name of protecting national security. Hong Kong’s NSL makes Hongkongers and the foreign visitors nervous in that it not only takes away political rights, but more to the fact that by setting up a National Security Office in Hong Kong, it has legalized the cross-border kidnapping. When Hongkongers are sent to China to be tried and to serve their jail sentences, it is very possible that they would be tortured, physically and mentally. They might have to make a public confession via CCTV because they can no longer cope with the tortures, or their family members have been held ransom.

Hong Kong protestors are not scared of going to jail, but they are scared to be sent to China and be tortured. They are fearless towards suppression from the government, the police brutality, the court judgment and the hardships in jail; but under CCP’s torture threats, some took off, some are laying low, some have self-censored. CCP and Hong Kong pro-CCP camp therefore claim that the deterrent power from Hong Kong’s NSL is already working. Though, has CCP’s torture tactic eliminated all the human rights activists, dissidents and religious people? Has it helped lift CCP’s mighty reputation and elevated their international status?

It is unavoidable that Hong Kong’s anti-tyranny movement would be affected by the evil law and torture threat, but encroach on the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s human rights and the rule of law, all in the name of “national security”, CCP has further showed the world its flagrant disregard of the International Convention and challenges the most basic, core values of the democratic world. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor who earlier emphasized working with China is in the interest of EU, has now changed her words and said that Europe should make a stance towards China that reflects “our interests and values”, including the protection of human rights and the worries towards Hong Kong’s future.

The US Congress passed the “Hong Kong Autonomy Act” last week, authorizing government departments are using financial strategies to sanction officials and entities who have eviscerated Hong Kong’s autonomy. Secretary of State Pompeo also immediately announced visa restrictions on some of the CCP officials and their families. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs then announced their “counter-sanctions” yesterday, that they would impose visa restrictions on those US officials, who have been behaving notoriously on the Hong Kong problem. US visa restrictions and freezing assets would slay CCP dignitaries. But Chinese visa restrictions on the US officials? Who would care? Who is the paper tiger trying to frighten?

As long as the CCP continues to dig its own grave, as long as the international community stops appeasing CCP, as long as the Hong Kong protestors keep up with the motto “No betrayal, No Cutting-ties, No criticizing” and respect their comrades’ choices, make the most of their “Be Water” protest sageness, then the movement would not die, neither would Hong Kong.

Click here for Chinese version.

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