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HKFP
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- HKFP
HKFP Monitor July 19, 2025: Revived talk of ‘soft resistance,' reactions to Jimmy O. Yang's tête-à-tête with John Lee
This week, we look at how top officials revived talk of 'soft resistance' as the national security law hit its five-year mark, while indie publishers launched their own book fair amid mounting scrutiny. We're also following a scandal at HKU involving AI-generated porn that surfaced on social media, a series of full-page attacks in state media targeting policy think tank Liber Research Community, and reactions to comedian Jimmy O. Yang's tête-à-tête with Hong Kong's leader. 'SOFT RESISTANCE' BUZZWORD RETURNS Top Hong Kong officials raised alarm over 'soft resistance' last month, as the city marked five years since the Beijing-imposed national security law came into effect. Culture minister Rosanna Law said it could show up in songs, performances, or storylines. Development chief Bernadette Linn warned it might even pop up during city planning. In short, it could be just about anywhere. The renewed focus signals a wider crackdown on perceived ideological threats, although the legal definition remains unclear. On June 30, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam tried to clarify. What is soft resistance? Lam said it involves three things: spreading false or misleading info, doing it in an overly emotional or irrational way, and trying to stir up misunderstandings about Hong Kong or Beijing policies. His explanation wasn't far off from what pro-establishment commentator Lau Siu-kai said back in 2021, after the term was first floated by then China Liaison Office chief Luo Huining. As authorities vowed to step up scrutiny, playwright Candace Chong warned that hunting for 'soft resistance' could turn into a campaign that 'disturbs people' and hurts local artists. Is it illegal? Security chief Chris Tang said in 2023 that Hong Kong's Article 23 security law would tackle 'soft resistance.' But the term isn't in the actual ordinance and has only come up in one court case — involving a busker playing a protest anthem. How the law will be used against such loosely defined threats remains to be seen. Every summer, Hong Kong's biggest literary event – the Hong Kong Book Fair – brings together publishers from across the city. But since the national security law kicked in, the fair has been under tighter scrutiny. The organiser, the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council (HKTDC), has received complaints about suspected violations and has barred some publishers over books related to the 2019 protests – sometimes even asking for specific titles to be pulled from shelves. In response, 14 indie publishers have once again launched their own event at Hunter Bookstore, now in its third year. Among them are Boundary Bookstore and Bbluesky, who say they were asked to remove certain books last year – and banned from this year's Hong Kong Book Fair. The pressure doesn't stop there. HKFP has learned that at least six independent publishers are facing tax investigations (tune in to our report on Sunday). Directors said authorities have requested detailed financial records, including personal transaction reports and bank statements going back to before some of the companies even existed. This year's alternative fair runs from Thursday to Sunday. So far, organisers say there's been no sign of government inspections — unlike last year, when officials showed up the day before opening, citing a complaint over the venue's entertainment licence. Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po ran full-page attacks targeting policy think tank Liber Research Community for three consecutive days this month. In its first article on July 8, the paper accused Liber of 'soft resistance' and using 'pseudoscience' as a cover. It cited remarks made by a Liber researcher at a forum on ecotourism, which was moved online after the original venue at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was abruptly cancelled due to 'urgent maintenance.' On July 9, Wen Wei Po criticised a Liber-Greenpeace report on Hong Kong's ecotourism policies, accusing the group of 'blind opposition' and a 'narrow' approach to conservation. The final piece on July 10 slammed Liber's study comparing airport retail prices with those in the city and at Taipei airport. The paper said the NGO had 'vilified' Hong Kong tourism and claimed its own checks found the price differences weren't significant. Brian Wong, a researcher at Liber, defended the think tank's research as well-founded, adding that its policy recommendations were 'for the benefit of Hong Kong's people and environment.' 'Our last report was solid, with methodologies, data, and case studies,' Wong told HKFP on July 8, adding that the NGO would continue its work. 'If they think what we're putting out is pseudoscience, more information is needed to substantiate their claim,' he said. Addressing the 'soft resistance' accusation, Wong said: 'We are just conducting research and making suggestions for the benefit of Hong Kong's people and environment.' HKU backlash: A scandal involving AI-generated porn images that broke on social media last weekend has prompted the city's privacy watchdog to launch a criminal probe. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is facing backlash after a law student allegedly used AI to create pornographic images of women – including some female classmates – without their consent. The incident came to light after three victims took to Instagram with accusations, saying the student had admitted to using social media screenshots to create explicit images using free AI tools. They posted on a page called ' – a name referencing South Korea's infamous 'Nth Room' cybersex trafficking case – which had over 2,470 followers as of Friday. According to the victims, the images were discovered by the student's friends on his computer. They estimated that around 20 to 30 women may have been affected. HKU came under fire for being 'too lenient' after only issuing a warning letter to the student. On Friday, the school said the letter did not mark the end of the matter. Jimmy O: Friend or foe? Also causing a stir, Hong Kong-born American comedian Jimmy O. Yang stirred debate online after his management company shared photos of him with Chief Executive John Lee during his visit to the city last month. Some Reddit users said they were glad they skipped the comedian's sold-out shows, accusing him of using his Hong Kong identity for profit. Others defended him, noting that the meeting and his paid collaboration with the Tourism Board were arranged by the government. Similar chatter popped up on Threads and Instagram, where some said it was 'smart' of O. Yang to post the photos after his shows, adding that being friendly with the city's leader was 'nothing personal, just business.' Hong Kong's biggest national security case saw new developments this week, as both prosecutors and jailed pro-democracy figures challenged the verdicts and sentences tied to the 2020 unofficial legislative primary election. The charge of conspiracy to commit subversion landed 45 democrats in jail, with sentences ranging from just over four years to a decade. The judges said it could take up to nine months before they decide on the appeals.
Kuwait Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Hong Kong court hears appeals by jailed campaigners
HONG KONG: Pro-democracy lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung (front center in black), also known as "Long Hair", demonstrates with student protest leader Joshua Wong (left), League of Social Democrats chairman Avery Ng (second left), and pro-democracy lawmaker Nathan Law (front right) in Hong Kong.-- AFP HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court began hearing appeals on Monday from 12 democracy campaigners jailed for subversion last year during the city's largest national security trial. They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail—the harshest penalty among the dozen—has also lodged an appeal. Former district councilor Michael Pang withdrew his appeal application on Monday morning, leaving a total of 12 appellants. Some of them have already spent more than four years behind bars. The activists were accused of organizing or taking part in an unofficial primary election that aimed to improve the pro-democracy camp's chances of winning a majority in the legislature. They had hoped, once a majority was secured, to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget—a plan that trial judges said would have caused a 'constitutional crisis'. Defense lawyer Erik Shum said that vetoing the budget was a form of 'check and balance' built into Hong Kong's mini-constitution that lawmakers could deploy as a last resort. 'In order to check the unpopular exercise of powers by the executive, one of the important measures is to tie the purse,' he told the court. Shum said lawmakers should not be answerable to the courts over how they vote because of the separation of powers.'Let politics remain in (the legislature) and let the public decide, not the judges.' Prosecutors also challenged the acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty in May 2024 from an original group of 47 accused. Lau's 'overall conduct' showed that he was party to the conspiracy and he should be tried again because the lower court made the wrong factual finding, the prosecution said. Lau, representing himself, said the trial court's findings should not be 'casually interfered' with. 'I have never advocated for the resignation of the chief executive, I have never advocated the indiscriminate vetoing of the financial budget,' Lau told the court, referring to core tenets of the alleged conspiracy. Beijing has remolded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy demonstrations. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, the group later being dubbed the 'Hong Kong 47'. Aged between 27 and 69, they included democratically elected lawmakers and district councilors, as well as unionists, academics and others ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. Dozens of police officers were deployed outside the West Kowloon court building on Monday morning as people queued to attend the hearing. 'They made a sacrifice... I hope they understand that Hongkongers have not forgotten them,' said a public hospital worker in his thirties surnamed Chow. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal would be a 'pivotal test' for free expression in the Chinese finance hub. 'Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest,' Brooks said. – AFP
The Star
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Hong Kong court hears appeals by jailed democracy campaigners
FILE PHOTO: Pro-democracy activists Leung Kwok-hung, known as "Long Hair," left, and Lee Cheuk-yan raise their hands as they are escorted by Correctional Services officers to a prison van for a court in Hong Kong, on May 28, 2021. - AP HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court began hearing appeals on Monday (July 14) from 12 democracy campaigners who were jailed for subversion last year during the city's largest national security trial. They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last ten days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail - the harshest penalty among the dozen - has also lodged an appeal. Former district councillor Michael Pang withdrew his appeal application on Monday morning, leaving a total of 12 appellants. Some of them have already spent more than four years behind bars. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal will be a "pivotal test" for free expression in the Chinese finance hub. "Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest," Brooks said. Dozens of police officers were deployed outside the West Kowloon court building on Monday morning as people queued to attend the hearing. "They made a sacrifice... I hope they understand that Hongkongers have not forgotten them," said a public hospital worker in his thirties surnamed Chow. A 66-year-old retiree surnamed Chan said the case made him feel "helpless", adding that fewer people were paying attention as court proceedings dragged on. "I don't expect any (positive) outcome, but I still want to support them." Prosecutors began Monday's session by challenging the acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty in May 2024 from an original group of 47 accused. Lau's "overall conduct" showed that he was party to the conspiracy and he should be tried again because the lower court made the wrong factual finding, the prosecution argued. Lau, representing himself, replied that the trial court's findings should not be "casually interfered" with. "... I have never advocated for the resignation of the chief executive, I have never advocated the indiscriminate vetoing of the financial budget," Lau told the court, referring to core tenets of the alleged conspiracy. Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, a group later dubbed the "Hong Kong 47". The group, aged between 27 and 69, included democratically elected lawmakers and district councillors, as well as unionists, academics and others with political stances ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. They were accused of organising or taking part in an unofficial primary election, which aimed to improve the chances of pro-democracy parties of winning a majority in the legislature. The activists had hoped to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget. Three senior judges handpicked by the government to try security cases said the plan would have caused a "constitutional crisis". - AFP
Int'l Business Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Hong Kong Court Hears Appeals By Jailed Democracy Campaigners
A Hong Kong court began hearing appeals on Monday from 12 democracy campaigners who were jailed for subversion last year during the city's largest national security trial. They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail -- the harshest penalty among the dozen -- has also lodged an appeal. Former district councillor Michael Pang withdrew his appeal application on Monday morning, leaving a total of 12 appellants. Some of them have already spent more than four years behind bars. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal will be a "pivotal test" for free expression in the Chinese finance hub. "Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest," Brooks said. Dozens of police officers were deployed outside the West Kowloon court building on Monday morning as people queued to attend the hearing. "They made a sacrifice... I hope they understand that Hongkongers have not forgotten them," said a public hospital worker in his thirties surnamed Chow. A 66-year-old retiree surnamed Chan said the case made him feel "helpless", adding that fewer people were paying attention as court proceedings dragged on. "I don't expect any (positive) outcome, but I still want to support them." Prosecutors began Monday's session by challenging the acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty in May 2024 from an original group of 47 accused. Lau's "overall conduct" showed that he was party to the conspiracy and he should be tried again because the lower court made the wrong factual finding, the prosecution argued. Lau, representing himself, replied that the trial court's findings should not be "casually interfered" with. "... I have never advocated for the resignation of the chief executive, I have never advocated the indiscriminate vetoing of the financial budget," Lau told the court, referring to core tenets of the alleged conspiracy. Beijing has remoulded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy demonstrations. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, a group later dubbed the "Hong Kong 47". The group, aged between 27 and 69, included democratically elected lawmakers and district councillors, as well as unionists, academics and others with political stances ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. They were accused of organising or taking part in an unofficial primary election, which aimed to improve the chances of pro-democracy parties of winning a majority in the legislature. The activists had hoped to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget. Three senior judges handpicked by the government to try security cases said the plan would have caused a "constitutional crisis".
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Hong Kong court to hear appeals by jailed democracy campaigners
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Appeals will be heard from 13 democracy campaigners who were jailed for subversion in 2024. A Hong Kong court will hear appeals starting on July 14 from 13 democracy campaigners who were jailed for subversion in 2024 during the city's largest national security trial. They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November 2024 over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail – the harshest penalty among the 13 – has also lodged an appeal. Some of the appellants have already spent more than four years behind bars. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal will be a 'pivotal test' for free expression in the Chinese finance hub. 'Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest,' Ms Brooks said. Morning raids Prosecutors will concurrently challenge on July 14 the lower court's acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty from an original group of 47 accused. Activist Tam Tak-chi, who pleaded guilty in the subversion case, had also indicated he would appeal against his sentence but withdrew. Beijing has remoulded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy demonstrations. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, a group later dubbed the 'Hong Kong 47'. The group, aged between 27 and 69, included democratically elected lawmakers and district councillors, as well as unionists, academics and others with political stances ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. They were accused of organising or taking part in an unofficial primary election, which aimed to improve the chances of pro-democracy parties of winning a majority in the legislature. The activists had hoped to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget. Three senior judges handpicked by the government to try security cases said the plan would have caused a 'constitutional crisis'. Beijing and Hong Kong officials have defended the national security law as being necessary to restore order following the 2019 protests. Opposition party the League of Social Democrats – co-founded by Leung – announced its disbandment in June , citing 'immense political pressure'. Eight of the jailed campaigners, including journalist and lawmaker Claudia Mo and LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, have been released in recent weeks after completing their sentences. AFP
