As expected by many people in Hong Kong and in the international community, the disintegration of the city’s political system and the persecution of political activists continue unabated.

The repression of freedom, personal safety and the rule of law in Hong Kong comes at a time when the whole world watches how the brave people of Myanmar and Thailand are taking on the military to defend their democracy, and how the basic rights of people in Cambodia are being brutally suppressed.

The arrests and detention of 47 opposition activists, including 13 former members of the Legislative Council, on February 28 was hugely shocking and disturbing. They came in the wake of meetings held in Beijing and Shenzhen when mainland officials spoke about the need to revamp the Hong Kong electoral system in order to ensure that the city is governed by patriots.

Some commentators said the central government’s scheme plan is to arrest and detain many activists and to alter the electoral system to make it difficult, if not impossible, for pan democrats to get elected to the Legislative Council and district councils.

News media report that plans are afoot to change the method for choosing the Chief Executive, and they will not only eliminate the influence of pan democrats, but may also clip the wings of property developers who have enjoyed preferential treatment for many decades. They did so because of forbearance by the powers that be in Hong Kong and the mainland. Now that may change, but it would not benefit the ordinary people. These changes would be unveiled at the plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) to be held in Beijing later this week.

The 2019-20 anti-government protests triggered by the extradition bill paralysed the city’s economy and split the population asunder. It exposed the arrogance and incompetence of Chief Executive Carrie Lam. The central government’s response to Hong Kong’s problems is swift as it is deadly. With no consultation, Beijing imposed the National Security Law (NSL) on Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, creating offences of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. Maximum penalty is life imprisonment and defendants can be sent to the mainland for trial.

On March 1, after being locked up for one night, the 47 opposition activists appeared in court charged with conspiracy to subvert state power through an unofficial primary election held last July to choose candidates to run in the Legislative Council election to be held in September 2020. The election was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The arrests of the activists happened on the same day as the storming of Capitol Hill by supporters of then US President Donald Trump. In spite of the horrific news in Washington DC, the massive arrests in Hong Kong also dominated international news headlines as many people found the saga incomprehensible and unacceptable.

Since the case attracted worldwide attention, representatives from the US, Canada, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the European Union queued outside the court building for tickets to attend the trial. More than 1,000 people turned up, mostly dressed in black, to queue for tickets to support the activists.

The prosecution was obviously ill prepared for the trial. They asked the NSL Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak to adjourn the hearing until 31 May to allow them to do more investigation and preparation. They also opposed bail for the activists, meaning the 47 have to be locked up for three months while the prosecution try to put together the case.

The court hearing went on past 2am the following morning. One activist fainted and three others felt unwell and all had to be taken to the hospital. The hearing was adjourned to 11.30am the same morning.

Hong Kong used to pride itself on the independence of the judiciary, the rule of law and due process. But the trial of the 47 activists showed those valued concepts have gone out of the window. The treatment of the 47 was disgraceful and deplorable. It happened to the 47 people and could happen to anyone in Hong Kong. If fair minded people are too frightened to speak out, then the city has little future.

Apart from the trial of the 47 activists, Hong Kong people are bracing themselves for more bad news from NPC plenary session later this week, when plans would be unveiled on how to change the electoral system to ensure only patriots can govern Hong Kong, and most, if not all, opposition voices would be snuffed out.

It is distressing to see a once vibrant, free and safe city degenerate into its current state. Yet many Hong Kong people will not give up and will continue the struggle for a free and safe future. It is going to be tough, but it is not the end of Hong Kong.

(Emily Lau, Chairperson, International Affairs Committee of the Democratic Party)

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