American among democracy activists arrested in Hong Kong under national security law
Activists in Hong Kong
More than 50 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of violating the city's national security law. This is being seen as the biggest crackdown yet against the opposition camp under the contentious new legislation.
An American citizen working for a law firm was among those arrested. According to an AFP report, John Clancy, a solicitor with the law firm Ho Tse Wai and Partners -- a firm known for taking on human rights cases -- was arrested on suspicion of "subversion".
Police also arrived at the offices of pro-democracy online media outlet Stand News, according to live footage on its website.
The arrestsalso included former lawmakers and activists James To, Lam Cheuk-ting and Lester Shum, according to the Democratic Party's Facebook page and public broadcaster RTHK.
The Democratic Party's Facebook page said police arrested the activists for participating in an independently organised, unofficial ballot in July 2020 to select democratic candidates for a legislature election, which the Hong Kong government and Beijing warned at the time may violate the new law.
The legislative election was due in September last year but was postponed, with authorities citing coronavirus risks.
The attempt to win a majority in the 70-seat city legislature, which some candidates said could be used to block government proposals and increase pressure for democratic reforms, was seen as an "act of subversion, in violation of the national security law".
The security law punishes what China broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in jail and has been condemned by the West and human rights groups as a tool to crush dissent in the former British colony.
Hong Kong was promised a high degree of autonomy unavailable elsewhere in China when it returned to Beijing rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" agreement. Since the imposition of the security law, leading pro-democracy activists such as media tycoon Jimmy Lai have been arrested, some democratic lawmakers have been disqualified, activists have fled into exile, and protest slogans and songs have been declared illegal.
(with inputs from agencies)