By sentencing three pro-democracy activists to prison for their role in last year’s protests in Hong Kong, the administration in Beijing has sent out a strong message that is likely to resonate around the world.
The message is that measures to curb dissent that have been ruthlessly deployed in the past on Uighurs and Tibetans will now be extended to the island, unmindful of such treaty commitments as China may have and brushing aside the opprobrium that it may face.
Joshua Wong, in many respects the face of the pro-democracy activists, was sentenced to thirteen-and-a-half months in jail, while the other two, Agnes Chow and Ivan Lim, received 10-and seven-month sentences respectively.
The island territory was rocked by protests for seven months from June 2019 and millions had taken to the streets in support of their demands, which included scrapping of moves to extradite residents to mainland China and greater police accountability. The three were prosecuted for leading a huge rally outside the police headquarters and pleaded guilty to charges.
They were left with no option because to crack down on protests, Beijing used the world’s preoccupation with the virus that had originated in China to enact a tough new security law.
This law effectively changed Hong Kong’s legal system, armed authorities with sweeping powers, created new offences that could lead to imprisonment, even for life, and allowed security personnel from the mainland to operate freely in the territory. Included in the new law was a sweeping provision that criminalised any contact a resident had with a foreigner that could lead to hatred of either the Chinese Communist Party or the administration in Hong Kong.
Indeed, the enactment has several vague and nebulous definitions that the regime can use to achieve its ends. Effectively, therefore, Beijing used brute power to put down the activists and has achieved success in its endeavour with protests having largely died down since July. While Beijing says order has been restored over a city that is considered a leading Asian financial centre, resentment at the approach it has adopted simmers among people. As Wong said on the eve of his sentencing, “Cages cannot lock up souls”.
He had said: “All these pains and sufferings would only strengthen our courage and conviction for democracy and justice.”
Beijing has been forced to arrest more than 10,000 activists over the past 18 months and has placed all Opposition figures in its crosshairs. But younger Hong Kong residents, especially those who are drawing on fraternal support from similar movements across Asia, may not be put down quite so easily. And with some of them prepared to accept incarceration in the cause of freedom, the battle though tilted heavily in favour of Beijing, is likely to continue.