Amnesty International leaves Hong Kong because of National Security Act

Fifty fifty civil society organizations have been sharing since the beginning of the year.

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Because of the Hong Kong National Security Act, which makes it impossible for human rights organizations to work freely and without fear of serious reprisals on the part of the government “, Amnesty International will leave Hongkong. The Organization, Nobel Peace Prize in 1977, announced, Monday, October 25, that it would close its local section at the end of the month and at the end of the year, its office for South Asia -Est-Pacific, which is also in the city.

“The fact that local rights groups and unions have recently been targeted is the signal of an intensification of the campaign led by the authorities to rid the city of any dissenting voices. It is more In addition difficult for us to continue working in an environment as unstable, “justified, in a statement, the President of the International NGO Office Anjhula Mya Singh Bais.

Tuesday, Carrie Lam, the head of the Hong Kong executive, said the law always guarantees freedom of association. According to her, those who evoke the National Security Act to put an end to their activities “can not prove” that it is because they make that decision.

Effective June 30, 2020, the National Security Act, imposed by Beijing, severely punishes any offense considered by China as constitutive secession, subversion, collusion with foreign forces or terrorism. “The environmental repression and perpetual uncertainty created by the National Security Act makes it impossible to know what activities could lead to criminal penalties,” says Amnesty International.

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More than 70 people, including a large part of the most prominent projeemocracy activists, were charged in application of this text, most for just having expressed political opinions now illegal.

In July, the first Hong Kong judged pursuant to the new law was sentenced to nine years in prison for darkening a police officer by brandishing a flag with writings considered subversives.

A second defendant has been convicted, Monday, October 25, of “secession” for changing slogans such as: “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our time!” Incarcerated for ten months, the young man, first person to be Sentenced for a non-violent offense against national security, will experience his sentence later. He incurs seven years in prison. The lawsuits related to the National Security Act unfolds without a jury and before magistrates specially selected by the government.

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/Media reports.