47 people, including Joshua Wong, accused of overthrowing the state under the Hong Kong Security Law

China hears opinions on reorganization of Hong Kong election system ahead of both meetings

In Hong Kong, 47 democratic figures, including former opposition lawmakers and activists, have been charged with overthrowing the state regime under the Hong Kong National Security Act (Hong Kong Security Act).

According to the South China Morning Post and Bloomberg News, Hong Kong police said that the bails of those charged with the charges were dismissed on the 28th and that they would be detained overnight and appear in court on the 1st of next month.

Hong Kong police arrested 55 people on January 6 in connection with the primary election of opposition legislators in which 600,000 people participated last year, of which 47 were prosecuted this time. Since the enforcement of the Hong Kong Security Act last year, it is the largest single prosecution.

Police consider the primary elections as part of an illegal attempt to paralyze the Hong Kong government. The Hong Kong legislative election was postponed for one year due to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19).

The prosecution included former Hong Kong University professor Beni Tai, who led the primary election, and representative democratic activist Joshua Wong, and Jimmy Sham, the civilian rights front leader. Joshua Wong is already in jail at the end of last year for inciting illegal assembly.

The prosecution came a week ahead of the two meetings (National People’s Congress and National People’s Political Consultation Meeting), China’s largest political event of the year. The observation that this year’s two meetings will discuss a plan to block the run for opposition parties by overhauling Hong Kong’s electoral system is weighing in.

China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the Chinese authorities began hearing opinions from representatives of Hong Kong on the reform of the election system in Hong Kong at a symposium held in Shenzhen on a two-day schedule. Shabaorong, head of the Hong Kong-Macao Office of the State Council of China, who oversees Hong Kong affairs, also attended the event. Shah said on the 22nd, “Anyone who is in love with China or who wants to divide Hong Kong should not take a key position. Only patriots can take it.”

/ Reporter Noh Hee-young [email protected]

< 저작권자 ⓒ 서울경제, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지 >