London Hong Kong pro-democracy politician Nathan Law, who lives in exile in the UK, told CBS News on Wednesday that if he did not flee the city last year, he would be among the dozens of politicians and activists arrested in China’s latest, “completely absurd” repression under the guise of a new “national security law”.
The arrest of 53 pro-democracy politicians and activists overnight was the biggest action under China’s new national security legislation since last year by Beijing. The new law was created to destroy discord in the semi-autonomous region, which, although part of China, had a different system of government that guaranteed fundamental freedoms.
“It’s definitely devastating to me. A lot of people who are arrested are my friends. I’m actually on the list. If I were in Hong Kong, I would have been arrested just a few hours ago,” Law said.
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The dozens of people arrested are accused of plotting the “mutual destruction” of China and Hong Kong by participating in an unofficial primary election to narrow down opposition opposition candidates to run for office. in the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the area. If elected to the council, these candidates could potentially influence or block laws passed from Beijing.
Law calls the government statement that detainees are trying to block the government’s activities, “absolutely absurd, because in any normal and democratic system we have control and balance, and the council’s duty is to keep the administration branch responsible for the measures, including blocking their accounts. “
“It’s actually part of the function and the power of the system,” he said. “But the government sees it as a subversive act.”
He said the world would have to wait to see if all 53 individuals arrested on Wednesday would be prosecuted.
“There are still questions about whether this is a real persecution for all … or just a few of them directed” which is believed to be the mastermind of the political unrest Hong Kong has seen in recent years.
Among those who fear by law for tougher punishments, the leading politician Joshua Wong, although he may jailed since early December, could see that his sentence had increased.
The mass arrests were also the first time a foreigner has been detained under the new national security legislation. U.S. human rights lawyer John Clancey, who was involved in a democracy work in Hong Kong, was among those arrested.
“It’s definitely a big blow,” Law said. “I think the US government should be very concerned about the matter, and that it may be another variant of hostage diplomacy from Beijing.”
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Law called on the US government and the wider international community to hold China accountable, and it called on the European Union to suspend an investment treaty between the EU and China.
“None of us should take these freedoms for granted. Even in the US around the world, if we are not vigilant enough, it will be taken away very, very quickly,” Law said.
He said that for himself and other Hong Kongers, who for decades had “lost the taste of freedom …, it was a huge blow, and its impact was greater than pursuing something you had never had before.”
“I think it really gives momentum to people who are still a diaspora community and have left Hong Kong, or even stayed in Hong Kong, to have the faith to fight for it, even though the situation is getting worse.”