In the lead-up to the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force has arrested an eighth individual for alleged sedition. A 62-year-old man was apprehended on Monday, merely days after seven other suspects were arrested on May 31, bringing the total to eight suspects accused of seditious activities. According to the police, these individuals were involved in operations intended to incite hatred against the Chinese central government and the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Specifically, the charges are linked to actions contrary to section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
Security Secretary Tang Ping-keung confirmed that the arrested suspects managed a social media page named ” Chow Hang Tung Club,” which allegedly aimed to foster anti-government sentiments. The group is accused of providing a platform for disseminating content that could incite such sentiments among Chinese and Hong Kong citizens.
Local media, Witness HK, reported that the individual arrested on Monday is the uncle of Chow Hang Tung, a previously convicted activist. Chow is currently in custody pending her appeal to the Court of Final Appeal against her conviction for failing to provide information as a foreign agent under the China-imposed National Security Law.
Chow’s arrest has drawn international attention, with the Taiwan’s Judicial Reform Foundation issuing a joint statement alongside 19 other civil groups, including Amnesty International, calling for her immediate release and the withdrawal of charges. These groups have urged the Hong Kong government to ensure that the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance aligns with international human rights norms, which has been a point of criticism from UN Special Rapporteurs.
The Hong Kong government continues to face scrutiny over the enforcement of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which was unanimously passed by the legislature in March. Tang maintains that the Ordinance only targets individuals posing national security threats and does not infringe upon freedoms of speech, as enshrined in the Hong Kong Basic Law.
As the Tiananmen Square anniversary approaches, the political climate in Hong Kong remains tense, with significant implications for the region’s legal landscape and civil liberties.