London – Hong Kong pro-democracy politician Nathan Law, who lives in exile in the UK, told CBS News on Wednesday that if he had not fled the city last year, he would have been among dozens of politicians and activists arrested according to China’s latest “absolutely absurd” repression under the guise of a new “national security” law.
The arrests of 53 pro-democracy politicians and activists overnight were the biggest action of China’s new national security law since its enactment by Beijing last year. The new law was created to nullify dissent in the semi-autonomous territory, which, despite being part of China, had a different system of government that guaranteed fundamental freedoms.
“It’s definitely devastating for me. A lot of people arrested are friends of mine. I’m actually on the list. If I went to Hong Kong, I would be arrested just a couple of hours ago,” Law said.
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Dozens of people arrested have been accused of plotting the “mutual destruction” of China and Hong Kong by participating in unofficial primary elections to restrict pro-democracy opposition candidates from running for office on the Legislative Council. territories (LegCo). If elected to the council, these candidates could have influenced or blocked laws passed from Beijing.
Law called the government’s explanation that in trying to get elected, detainees were trying to block government operations, “absolutely absurd, because in any normal and democratic system we have controls and balances, and the duty of the council is to hold branch administrations accountable.” of the measures, including the blocking of their invoices “.
“That’s really part of the function and power of the system,” he said. “But the government sees it as an act of subversion.”
He said the world should wait to see if the 53 people arrested on Wednesday would actually be prosecuted.
“There are still outstanding questions as to whether this is genuine prosecution for all … or simply aimed at some of them,” which is believed to be the brains of the political unrest Hong Kong has seen over the past year.
Among those who fear that Law may face harsher sentences is prominent politician Joshua Wong, who, although he has been imprisoned since early December, could see increased his sentence.
Mass arrests were also the first time a foreigner has been detained under the new national security law. U.S. human rights lawyer John Clancey, who had been involved in pro-democracy work in Hong Kong, was one of the detainees.
“This is definitely a big blow,” Law said. “I think the U.S. government should be very concerned about the case and that it is possibly another variant of Beijing’s hostage diplomacy.”
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Law urged the U.S. government and the international community at large to hold China accountable and urged the European Union to stop an investment pact between the EU and China.
“None of us should take these liberties for granted. Even in the United States, around the world, if we’re not vigilant enough, they’ll be taken away very, very quickly,” Law said.
He said that for him and for other Hong Kongers, who for decades had “the taste for freedom … losing it is a huge blow, and its impact is greater than if you pursue something you have never had “.
“I think this really gives impetus to people who are still a diaspora community and who have left Hong Kong, or even stayed in Hong Kong, to have that faith of fighting for it, even though the situation is getting harder. “