Democracy Dismantled
The sentencing of 45 pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong under its controversial National Security Law signifies a turning point in the former British colony’s political and legal history.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday criticized the arrests of several high-profile democracy campaigners in Hong Kong and said that they were “deeply concerning.”
Taking to Twitter, Pompeo said, “Arrests of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong are deeply concerning — politicized law enforcement is inconsistent with universal values of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly”.
Arrests of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong are deeply concerning – politicized law enforcement is inconsistent with universal values of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
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— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) April 18, 2020
On Saturday, Hong Kong police rounded up at least 15 veterans and supporters of the opposition camp in a swoop that netted, among others, media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and prominent barrister Martin Lee Chu-ming for their roles in unlawful protests late last year.
The arrests of the 15 were for their roles in the protests in August and October that were part of an anti-government movement that was sparked by the aborted extradition bill.
In February, Lai, Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum were charged for taking part in an unauthorised assembly on August 31, 2019 as part of the months-long protest movement sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill.
Since June 2019, Hong Kong has been gripped by often-violent clashes between anti-government protesters and police, sparked by a piece of extradition legislation which officials have since withdrawn.
The pro-establishment camp insisted there was nothing to suggest that the police action was political.
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