(ANSA) - BEIJING, DECEMBER 18 - The Hong Kong authorities have issued arrest warrants against 5 pro-democracy activists who fled abroad guilty of urging voters to aboycott tomorrow's elections for the renewal of the Legislative Council, the local parliamentarian, the first under the reform of the entire electoral system approved in May to ensure that the city, as imposed by Beijing, is governed only by 'patriots'.
The voters of the financial center will choose the new defendants on the basis of rules that have reduced the number of seats directly, from 35 to 20, out of a total increased from 70 to 90. For the first time, however, tomorrow the old pan-democratic front will be completely absent, most of which have ended up in jail, banned, withdrawn or taken refuge abroad. Nathan Law, for example, is one of the activists in the crosshairs after calling for a boycott of the vote at an online press conference. The arrest warrants, as well as Law, hit Sunny Cheung, Timothy Lee, Carmen Lau and Kawai Lee, all of whom departed from Hong Kong.
In the former British colony it is not illegal to vote by mistake or to abstain from voting, but this year it has become a crime to incite others to boycott or cast invalid votes: in case of infringement, you risk imprisonment up to 3 years and fines up to $ 25,600. Use.
(HANDLE).