Hong Kong Watch

Last updated

Hong Kong Watch
Formation11 December 2017;6 years ago (2017-12-11)
Founded atUnited Kingdom
PurposeMonitor and report developments in Hong Kong
Official language
English
Co-founders
 Benedict Rogers
Johnny Patterson
Aileen Calverley
Gray Sergeant
Patrons
 Sir Malcolm Rifkind
Catherine West
Lord Paddy Ashdown
Lord David Alton
Sir Geoffrey Nice
Lord Chris Patten
Website www.hongkongwatch.org

Hong Kong Watch is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in the United Kingdom that was established to monitor the conditions of human rights, freedoms and rule of law in Hong Kong. It was founded by British human rights activist Benedict Rogers on 11 December 2017, two months after he was barred from entering Hong Kong.

Contents

History

In the aftermath of the 2014 Hong Kong protests and Legislative Council oath-taking controversy, Benedict Rogers, a British human rights activist, intended to visit a group of imprisoned Hong Kong democracy activists. On 11 October 2017, Rogers was barred entry to Hong Kong. [1] [2] He arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on a flight from Bangkok but was escorted away by immigration officials and placed on a flight back to Thailand. He had previously been warned by a contact in the Chinese embassy in London that he might be refused entry to Hong Kong. [3] [4] Rogers, who lived in Hong Kong between 1997 and 2002, has criticised what Rogers says is Mainland China's increasing threat to democracy in Hong Kong and has campaigned against the imprisonment of pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, Alex Chow and Jimmy Lai. [5] British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson demanded an explanation from the Hong Kong authorities and the Central Chinese government. [6] Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, later responded that the move was within China's sovereignty and said: "Whether this person's trip to Hong Kong involved an intention to intervene in Hong Kong's internal affairs and judicial independence – he knows very well himself." [7]

The following day, Rogers announced he would form a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to monitor the rule of law and human rights in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Watch was launched at a reception hosted in Speaker's House, House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 11 December 2017. The organisation appointed Johnny Patterson as its founding Director, with Rogers acting as Chair of Trustees [8] It was established on grounds of the belief of the fact that under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the United Kingdom has a moral and legal obligation to speak out. [9]

IPAC

In the summer of 2020, the leadership of Hong Kong Watch worked with human rights leaders such as Luke de Pulford to create the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a global pressure group, advocating for human rights in China, particularly with regards the persecution of Uyghurs in China and Democracy in Hong Kong. [10]

New appointments in 2020

Benedict Rogers joined the staff team of the organisation in September 2020 as chief executive officer, with Patterson moving to Policy Director. The organisation also brought in veteran Labour party staffer Sam Goodman as senior policy advisor and Hong Kong activist in exile, Joey Siu, as an Associate based in Washington DC. [8]

Blockage in Hong Kong

On 14 February 2022, it was reported that the site had been blocked by Internet service providers in Hong Kong, including PCCW, CMHK, HKBN, Netvigator, etc. Hong Kong Watch posted on Twitter that they believed the action was enforced upon order from the police. [11] [12]

Mission

Hong Kong Watch was set up to provide independent, comprehensive analysis and thought leadership on freedom and human rights in Hong Kong. [9]

Protest action at Acropolis of Athens

Three activists, including Hong Kong Watch Associate Joey Siu and Tibetan student Tsela Zoksang, were arrested at the Acropolis of Athens on 17 October 2021, the day before the lighting of the Olympic Torch. Siu and Tsela Zoksang first attempted to unfurl a banner to protest the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing; after the banner was taken away, they draped the Tibetan flag and the Hong Kong Revolution flag over scaffolding at the site and chanted slogans before they were arrested and charged for violating laws on protection of archeological sites. [13] [14] [15] Siu and Tsela Zoksang were released the following day and allowed to leave Greece, but ordered to return in January 2022 to appear in court. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Lee</span> Politician and barrister from Hong Kong

Martin Lee Chu-ming is a Hong Kong politician and barrister. He is the founding chairman of the United Democrats of Hong Kong and its successor, the Democratic Party, Hong Kong's flagship pro-democracy party. He was also a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1985 to 1997 and from 1998 to 2008. Nicknamed the "Father of Democracy" in Hong Kong, he is recognised as one of the most prominent advocates for democracy and human rights in Hong Kong and China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions</span> Hong Kong trade union and political party

The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) was a pro-democracy labour and political group in the Hong Kong. It was established on 29 July 1990. It had 160,000 members in 61 affiliates and representation in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo) to challenge government policies and push for legal protection of worker and trade union rights. It was one of the two most influential labour groups in Hong Kong, with the other one being the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leung Kwok-hung</span> Hong Kong activist and politician

Leung Kwok-hung, also known by his nickname "Long Hair" (長毛), is a Hong Kong politician and social activist. He was a member of the Legislative Council, representing the New Territories East. A Trotskyist in his youth, he was a founding member of the Revolutionary Marxist League. He became a political icon with his long hair and Che Guevara T-shirt in the protests before he was elected to the Legislative Council in 2004. In 2006, he co-founded a social democratic party, the League of Social Democrats (LSD) of which he was the chairman from 2012 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Ng</span>

Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee is a politician, barrister, writer and columnist in Hong Kong. She was a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1995 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China</span> Hong Kong pro-democracy organisation

The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was a pro-democracy organisation that was established on 21 May 1989 in the then British colony of Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre in Beijing. After the 4 June massacre, the organisation main goals were the rehabilitation of the democracy movement and the accountability for the massacre. The main activities the organisation held were the annual memorials and commemorations, of which the candlelight vigil in Victoria Park was the most attended, reported and discussed event each year. Due to its stance, the Central government in Beijing considers the organisation subversive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Civil Human Rights Front</span> Hong Kong human rights organisation

The Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) was an organisation that focused on the issues of Hong Kong politics and livelihood, affiliated with almost all pan-democratic camps in Hong Kong. It was founded on 13 September 2002 and disbanded on 15 August 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong independence</span> Independence movement in East Asia

Hong Kong independence is the notion of Hong Kong as a sovereign state, independent from the People's Republic of China (PRC). Hong Kong is a special administrative region (SAR) of China and is thus granted a high degree of de jure autonomy, as stipulated by Article 2 of the Hong Kong Basic Law ratified under the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Since the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the PRC in 1997, a growing number of Hongkongers have become concerned about what they see as Beijing's encroachment on the territory's freedoms and the failure of the Hong Kong government to deliver "genuine democracy". Advocating for Hong Kong independence became illegal after the Hong Kong national security law in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua Wong</span> Hong Kong pro-democracy activist

Joshua Wong Chi-fung is a Hong Kong activist and politician. He served as secretary-general of the pro-democracy party Demosisto until it disbanded following the implementation of the Hong Kong national security law on 30 June 2020. Wong was previously convenor and founder of the Hong Kong student activist group Scholarism. Wong first rose to international prominence during the 2014 Hong Kong protests, and his pivotal role in the Umbrella Movement resulted in his inclusion in TIME magazine's Most Influential Teens of 2014 and nomination for its 2014 Person of the Year; he was further called one of the "world's greatest leaders" by Fortune magazine in 2015, and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lester Shum</span> Hong Kong activist and politician

Lester Shum Ngo-fai is a Hong Kong social activist and politician. He was a leader of the 2014 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong and served as deputy secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) from April 2014 to March 2015. He was a member of the Tsuen Wan District Council for Hoi Bun from 2020 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Law</span> Hong Kong politician and activist

Nathan Law Kwun-chung is an activist and politician from Hong Kong. As a former student leader, he has been chairman of the Representative Council of the Lingnan University Students' Union (LUSU), acting president of the LUSU, and secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS). He was one of the student leaders during the 79-day Umbrella Movement in 2014. He is the founding and former chairman of Demosistō, a new political party derived from the 2014 protests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 imprisonment of Hong Kong democracy activists</span> Arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists

On 17 August 2017, three Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, Alex Chow, Nathan Law and Joshua Wong, were given prison sentences by the Court of Appeal for their roles in a protest at the Civic Square in front of the Central Government Complex in Tamar, Admiralty, on 26 and 27 September 2014. The events at the Civic Square helped set off massive pro-democracy protests, sometimes referred to as the Umbrella Movement, which lasted until police cleared the last of the protest sites in December 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benedict Rogers</span> London-based human rights activist

Benedict Richard Victor Rogers is a British human rights activist and journalist based in London. His work focuses on Asia, particularly Burma, North Korea, Indonesia, the Maldives, East Timor, Pakistan and Hong Kong. He is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Huffington Post and has appeared on BBC, CNN, Sky, Al Jazeera and other television and radio stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Sham</span> Hong Kong political and human rights activist

Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit is a Hong Kong pro-democracy and LGBT rights activist. He served as a convener for the pro-democracy organisation Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) until October 2020 and serves as a secretary for the LGBT rights organisation Rainbow of Hong Kong. He is a longtime member of the League of Social Democrats. In 2019 he was elected to the Sha Tin District Council by residents of Lek Yuen constituency, but he resigned from this position in July 2021 amidst a government crackdown on pro-democracy councillors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Hong Kong national security law</span> Chinas 2020 national law on national security in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong national security law, officially the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a national law of China on Hong Kong national security passed in 2020. It is implemented in Hong Kong in accordance with Hong Kong Basic Law Article 18, which allows for Chinese laws to be valid in Hong Kong if they are included in Annex III. It was formulated under the authorization of the National People's Congress decision on Hong Kong national security legislation. The law was passed on 30 June 2020 by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress as a means of resolving the anti-extradition bill protests instigated by a Hong Kong local bill proposed in 2019 to enable extradition to other territories including the mainland, and came into force the same day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Hong Kong pro-democracy primaries</span>

The 2020 Hong Kong pro-democracy primaries were held on 11 and 12 July 2020 for selecting the numbers of pro-democracy candidates for the subsequently postponed 2020 Legislative Council election to maximise the chance for the pro-democrats to achieve a majority in the 70-seat Legislative Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests (August 2020)</span> August events of the 2019–2020 pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong

The month of August 2020 in the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests saw only sparse and relatively small protests, mainly due to the city going through a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and an outdoor gathering ban on groups of more than two people. As the impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law on the city became increasingly evident, and additionally in response to acts by representatives of the local and mainland governments throughout the protests, Western democracies continued to voice sharp criticism and implemented sanctions against China, with the United States imposing sanctions on 11 Hong Kong officials on 7 August. These developments supported the opinion expressed by former British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind in late June that the protests had morphed from a mostly local dispute into an international one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests (September 2020)</span> September events of the 2019–2020 pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong

On 6 September, the biggest protests in the course of the 2019-20 Hong Kong protests since 1 July occurred in the city. The fresh protests were in a large part due to the day having been the scheduled election day for the Legislative Council; on 31 July, the Hong Kong government had the elections postponed by a year, citing the COVID-19 pandemic, a justification that was widely doubted. The unauthorized protests resulted in nearly 300 arrests, one of them on suspected violation of the national security law, and brought the total number of arrests during the entire protests since June 2019 to above 10,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Figo Chan</span> Hong Kong political and human rights activist

Figo Chan Ho-wun is a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist who served as convener of the Civil Human Rights Front from October 2020 until his conviction in May 2021, when he was succeeded by Chung Chung-fai. As vice-convener of the organisation Chan and then convener Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, planned major marches during the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests. In November 2019, Chan and Emily Lau were awarded the John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service on behalf of the people of Hong Kong during the Halifax International Security Forum. He also is member of the League of Social Democrats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong Democracy Council</span> American non-profit advocacy group

Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan, non-governmental organization (NGO) with a stated mission of "protect[ing] Hong Kong's basic freedoms, autonomy, and the rule of law." HKDC's research and political work focuses on "educational outreach, community empowerment, and policy advocacy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey Siu</span> Hong Kong activist

Joey Siu Lam is an American human rights activist. During her time in Hong Kong as a student in the City University of Hong Kong, she served as spokesperson of the Hong Kong Higher Institutions International Affairs Delegation (HKIAD) and lobbied internationally on human rights issues during the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests.

References

  1. ↑ "UK 'concerned' as Hong Kong denies Benedict Rogers entry". BBC News . London. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  2. ↑ Phillips, Tom; Haas, Benjamin (11 October 2017). "British Conservative party activist barred from entering Hong Kong". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  3. ↑ "A British Conservative Party human rights activist was turned away from Hong Kong after threats from China". Business Insider. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  4. ↑ Rogers, Benedict (12 October 2017). "Why the world must wake up to China's threat to freedom in Hong Kong | Benedict Rogers". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Hong Kong Watch welcomes UK Parliamentarians' report on Jimmy Lai and the crackdown on media freedom in Hong Kong". Hong Kong Watch. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Connor, Neil (11 October 2017). "Boris Johnson demands 'urgent explanation' from China after activist barred from entering Hong Kong". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  7. ↑ Farley, Harry (12 October 2017). "Christian human rights activist barred from Hong Kong". Christian Today . Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Our People". Hong Kong Watch. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  9. 1 2 "About Us". Hong Kong Watch. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  10. ↑ "Parliamentarians From Around the World Unite to Discuss the China Challenge". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hong Kong Watch網頁港無法入 稱料警要求". Ming Pao (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022.
  12. ↑ "Hong Kong tech giants 'censor' UK rights website amid firewall fears". RFA. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  13. ↑ Nellas, Demetris (17 October 2021). "2 arrested in Athens for protesting Beijing Olympics". Associated Press . AP News . Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Activists arrested in Greece over Beijing Olympic boycott demo, including Hongkonger Joey Siu". Hong Kong Free Press . 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  15. ↑ "Ελεύθεροι οι Θιβετιανοί φοιτητές που κρέμασαν πανό κατά της Κίνας". Dikastiko.gr (in Greek). 18 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  16. ↑ Lew, Linda (18 October 2021). "Beijing Olympics: two arrested in Greece for protest on eve of torch lighting". South China Morning Post . Retrieved 18 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.