A roundup of human rights issues in Hong Kong. Includes updates on the first sedition conviction since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997, calls for updates on LGBTQ progress and alleged ‘self-censorship’ from a Hong Kong publisher.
Two Journalists Convicted of Sedition
At the end of August, Stand News journalists Chung Pui-kuen (鍾沛權) and Patrick Lam (林紹桐) were found guilty of conspiracy to publish seditious materials, the first conviction of that kind since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The materials consisted of articles from 2020 and 2021 covering the pro-democracy movement. Sentencing is scheduled for September 26.
The journalists are being convicted under the Crimes Ordinance, where the sedition offense carries a maximum sentence of two years. However, Amnesty International has pointed out that as of March this year, the new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance will carry a maximum sentence of 10 years for the same offense.
“The Hong Kong authorities should end their use of sedition laws, which are repressive offenses harking back to the colonial era,” Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said.
Media Freedom Coalition Response
In response to the conviction, the Media Freedom Coalition released a statement calling on China and Hong Kong authorities to “abide by their international human rights commitments … and to respect freedom of the press and freedom of speech in Hong Kong, in line with the Basic Law and the recommendations of China’s 2024 Universal Periodic Review and Hong Kong’s 2022 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights review.”
The Media Freedom Coalition is a partnership of countries advocating for media freedom, made up of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S.
‘Hong Kong 47’ Mitigation Hearings Wrap
The final eight defendants in the “Hong Kong 47” case entered their pleas for mitigation at the start of September, and all 45 of the defendants still involved (two have been acquitted) now await sentencing.
Forty-seven activists were initially arrested in 2021, charged with taking part in an unofficial poll to choose pro-democracy candidates for 2020’s legislative council elections. This year, they have been taking part in mitigation hearings to try and reduce their sentences.
Calls for LGBTQ Progress Update
A year after Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal ruled its government was constitutionally bound to offer a legal framework for recognition of same-sex partnerships, Amnesty International has called for an update on progress. The Court of Final Appeal gave a two-year deadline, and Amnesty’s China Director Sarah Brooks said “The government has one year left to comply with the decision, but in the meantime equality is being denied on a daily basis.” Individuals in same-sex couples currently can’t adopt children or inherit their partner’s estate without a will.
U.S. Updates Hong Kong Business Advisory
The U.S.’s newly updated Hong Kong Business Advisory warns businesses operating in Hong Kong are “subject to the broad and vague provisions of the [National Security Law] and the [Safeguarding National Security] Ordinance [also known as Article 23].” It says businesses could be subject to legal actions for perceived violations. It also warns that businesses may face conflicting requirements when following U.S. sanctions.
“Businesses should be aware that the risks they face in the People’s Republic of China are now increasingly present in Hong Kong,” U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on X.
Xi Jinping Thought Module
As Hong Kong students have gone back to school at the start of September, Xi Jinping Thought (習近平新時代中國特色社會主義思想) has been added to the curriculum for the first time. Within the new, mandatory subject Citizenship, Economics and Society, third form secondary school students are expected to learn about Xi Jinping Thought in a module about China’s “political structure and participation in international affairs.” The Guardian reports this comes alongside additional lessons about “national security” and “pro-Beijing patriotism.”
Xi Jinping Thought maps out a course for China to become the world’s leading nation.
Museum of Old and New Art Reports Publisher ‘Self-Censorship’
Australia’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) attempted to have a book printed by a Chinese publisher, and then a Hong Kong publisher, but in both cases failed because the book contained art by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei (艾未未), according to a statement it has released. In the statement, MONA said the unnamed Hong Kong publisher “self-censored,” when it said that “Upon review with our team we regret to inform you that we decided to pass on this project due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter.”
The book was eventually printed in Belgium.
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