The Hong Kong police have issued an arrest warrant for activists living abroad. Why exactly is unclear. This has drastic consequences for the families of those affected.
- The Hong Kong police has issued arrest warrants for six expatriate activists.
- The activists campaigned for democracy in the Special Administrative Region.
- With the new security law , the principle of "one country, two systems" has virtually ended.
Göttingen / Hong Kong - His family in Hong Kong is afraid of him, says Ray Wong. Not directly in front of him, but before his status as a “Wanted Person”. Contacting them can have dramatic consequences for them. Since the end of July, the Hong Kong police have issued an arrest warrant for Wong, who fled to Germany and is now studying in Göttingen.
The basis is the new and globally controversial security law in the special administrative region of China. It vaguely criminalizes “separatism”, “subversion”, “terrorism” and “foreign influence”. Retrospectively, Wong said, the government applied the law against him. On August 1st, 2020 the Tagesschau reported that Germany had suspended the extradition agreement with Hong Kong.
Hong Kong activist Ray Wong
© Swen Pförtner / dpa
Arrest warrant against Hong Kong activists: "Wanted Person"
Ray Wong is now a "Wanted Person". The charge against him and five other activists: secession and collaboration with foreign powers. In addition to Wong, the following people are affected:
- Nathan Law *: A well-known Hong Kong activist . The 27-year-old fled to Great Britain only recently.
- Simon Cheng: A former Hong Kong Consulate employee who has political asylum in the UK.
- Samuel Chu: An American and son of one of the founders of the " Umbrella Movement ". People who are not Hong Kong citizens can also be punished under the new security law.
- Honcques Laus: An 18 year old who now lives in the UK. The student leader became known for holding up a banner reading "Hong Kong Independece" next to Hong Kong's Prime Minister Carrie Lam .
- Wayne Chan: Another Hong Kong pro-democratic activist.
In fact, the new law is the end of the “one country, two systems” principle. Hong Kong was granted 50 years of autonomy in 1997 when the former British Crown Colony was returned to China . A transition phase that the Communist Party in Beijing has now skipped in fast motion. With the new law, it is expanding its position of power in Hong Kong - and absorbing the Special Administrative Region more and more.
1. THREAD: Like all of you, I found out from news reports that I - along with five other Hong Kongers currently overseas - am on the wanted list for having violated the NSL. I have no idea what is my “crime” and I don't think that's important. Perhaps I love Hong Kong too much. pic.twitter.com/iNGgtKgHQL
- Nathan Law 羅冠聰 😷 (@nathanlawkc) July 31, 2020The US NGO "Human Rights Watch" sees the action against the six activists as an attack on the civil rights that the organization has committed to protect. On the homepage, Sophie Richardson, responsible for China , describes the arrest warrants as a "regressive campaign".
Arrest warrant for Hong Kong activists: Nathan Law is also a target in Great Britain
Ray Wong learned from friends in Hong Kong that he will be wanted by an arrest warrant . Not from the Hong Kong government or police. The fact that an arrest warrant was issued against six activists living abroad, including Nathan Law , first spread from July 31, 2020 via Chinese media that are considered loyal to Beijing.
"I thought it was very ridiculous," said Wong of his initial reaction to the warrant. According to him, the Hong Kong government originally didclaims the new law will not be applied retrospectively. But that is exactly what is happening now. Because after the enactment of the security law on July 1st, 2020, to the best of his knowledge, he did not publicly express anything critical about Hong Kong or China . He does not know what exactly he or the other activists are being accused of. With Nathan Law has Ray Wong hit a few days ago in London, to discuss the events.
Hong Kong activists arrest warrant: Security law scares people
BBC reported that the Chinese state television described the six people as "troublemakers" Only recently it was announced that the planned for September Hong Kong parliamentary elections be postponed by a year. Because of the novel. Coronavirus is it officially. Because of apprehension, as The elections could end, say oppositionists in Hong Kong, because pro-democracy politicians had hoped to be able to use the anger of the population over the new security law for themselves.
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Ray Wong does not talk about how it feels when suddenly a partition of fear is built between you and your family . Perhaps because he has got used to the feeling of being cut off from everything he used to know. In some people, every tiny emotion can be read in their facial expressions - Wong is not one of them. He is calm, almost too introverted for a person who wants to make the public aware of the grievances in Hong Kong .
"I'm overwhelmed by the feelings," Wong says when asked how he is really doing. An attempt to penetrate its facade. His voice becomes tense. “I worry about my family, my friends. A friend of mine was arrested just today ”.
Arrest warrant for Hong Kong activists: Situation in the Special Administrative Region worsens
He is currently visiting friends in London. During the video call with him, a tidy room can be seen in the background. The carefully made bed, an assorted clothes rail. Wong wears a white shirt and, as always, his black wire-rimmed glasses. Everything neat and controlled.
In moments like this, one could forget that Ray Wong is a well-known activist who fled Hong Kong . He deviates too much from the stereotypical idea of a leader. He rarely reveals how much he has sacrificed. What has happened in Hong Kong in recent years is more than just Ray Wong's individual fate, he is well aware of that.
Arrest warrant against Hong Kong activists: Ray Wong has settled in exile in Göttingen
The well-known activist fled Hong Kong to Germany in 2017 - as the first refugee from the Chinese special administrative zone to which Germany granted asylum (we reported). He has established himself in exile, as far as that is possible. Learned German, maintained links with Hong Kong , and worked to alert the international community.
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | |
|---|---|
| population | 7.451 million (2018) |
| Head of government | Carrie Lam |
| surface | 1106.7 km² |
| language | Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English |
A difficult task, especially for someone who is not looking for the limelight. Establish contacts and observe developments in Hong Kong . For days hanging on a drip in front of a laptop and television, waiting for the latest news. The year of the demonstrations in the urban canyons of the metropolis, which drew the attention of the world community to the events in Hong Kong . On a movement, supported and defended by the youth and future of Hong Kong - against one of the world's superpowers.
China Special Administrative Region: Arrest warrant again turning point for Ray Wong
For the former street fighter, dissecting events from afar had become part of everyday life. Until July 31, 2020. Another turning point in Ray Wong's life, which for its 26 years already shows many furrows and cracks. In an interview, Wong dryly attests that he has no specific feelings about the arrest warrant itself. Too often he has received similar reports from the Hong Kong police - in 2019 they contacted him with the threat of contacting Interpol and the German government, which had granted him political asylum. But nothing happened until the end of July 2020.
Germany suspends Hong Kong extradition agreement after election delay https://t.co/TtfBNKlMSh
// Wong said he felt relieved by Germany's move.
“Shortly before they made the announcement the German foreign ministry was in touch with me. ..........
According to him, the Chinese government is trying to spread fear in front of the activists. Fear of getting in touch with them and being punished by the new security law. “For me personally, the arrest warrant does not change anything. But for the people around me, ”says Wong. As the South China Morning Post reported, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas suspended the extradition agreement to Hong Kong on the day that Carrie Lam postponed the upcoming elections by a year and Ray Wong was placed on the wanted list.
Extradition to Hong Kong: Jimmy Lai and Agnes Chow are arrested
"The Hong Kong government's decision to disqualify a dozen opposition candidates and postpone the legislative elections is yet another violation of the rights of Hong Kong citizens, " said Heiko Maas .
Ray Wong says he's happy about Germany's reaction to China's advance . "When I heard about the arrest warrant, I asked the Foreign Office whether I had to fear extradition," Wong reports. Their answer: “No. Definitely not. ”He emphasizes these words of the Foreign Office strongly as he utters them and switches from English to German. At that moment his relief is palpable. Then he immediately withdraws back into the role of the activist.
Hong Kong activist Agnes Chow, arrested under a new security law, hailed as the 'real Mulan' by her supporters https://t.co/hqcwMs5FBH
- BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 12, 2020In spite of everything, Ray Wong keeps his hope of returning home one day. Many people in Hong Kong would realize that the freedom to take action against the Hong Kong government was becoming more and more restricted. But that is not the end of Hong Kong, says Wong.
Fight for freedom in Hong Kong: form of protest shifts to the economy
"Before the Security Act, people hoped they could make a difference within Hong Kong ," says Wong. But after the recent arrests, like those of the media mogul Jimmy Lai or the activist Agnes Chow , it is clear that this will not work. “But we Hong Kongers are very creative. When Jimmy Lai was arrested, people backed Apple Daily by buying stocks. "He doesn't think people are afraid to continue fighting for Hong Kong's freedom . It's just that the way things are changed."
The international community has been alarmed by the new security law - and the possibility of sanctions against China has at least landed on the agenda. “That's the way to hold China accountable.” Ray Wong believes the day he can return to Hong Kong is drawing near.
Like Joshua Wong , who for many is the face of the democracy movement. In the documentary "Joshua Wong: Teenager Vs. Superpower ”(2017) by Joe Piscatella you can hear him uttering the following words in front of numerous young Hong Kong residents in 2014 as a teenager:“ Whatever the price, we cannot carry this over to the next generation. This generation has to fulfill our mission. "( Katharina Ahnefeld)
Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has confirmed the provisional termination of the extradition agreement with Hong Kong. Ultimately, however, the State Security Act was less decisive.
* hna.de is part of the nationwide Ippen editorial network.
List of rubric lists: © Jayne Russell / dpa
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