Hong Kong ‘Father of Democracy’ nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Two Norwegian members of parliament have nominated Hong Kong’s veteran pro-democracy leader Martin Lee SC for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.
Lee, 82, received the nomination of Norwegian Conservative Party members Mathilde Tybring-Gjedde and Peter Frolic, who hoped that it would “be a source of inspiration for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong and advocates for freedom around the world,” the Hong Kong Free Press reported.
The practicing lawyer has been a prominent figure in the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement well before the territory’s handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997. As the founding chair of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, he holds the moniker “father of democracy.”
He has been charged for unauthorized assembly over an August 2019 protest along with eight other pro-democracy advocates, including Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai. The trial will start on Feb. 16 and Lee is out on bail in the meantime.
Tybring-Gjedde said Lee had dedicated his life to fighting for freedom and democracy, and was an inspiration for all who sought democratic development and political transition.
The Nobel Peace Prize, first awarded in 1901, honors people, organizations and institutions who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”
The prize last year was awarded to the World Food Programme, the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and food security.
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