The bureau of Liberal International (LI) condemns the arrest of two Hong Kong opposition lawmakers, Mr Lam Cheuk-ting and Mr Ted Hui Chi-fung – both from the Democratic Party (DP) and critics of Beijing – on Wednesday, 26 August 2020 as the crackdown on pro-democracy supporters widens.

These latest arrests come two weeks after police arrested media tycoon and vocal Beijing critic Jimmy Lai under a controversial national security law that China recently imposed on Hong Kong.

Last year, the world witnessed in shock, the violent attack on pro-democracy protesters returning home from the 21 July rally, at a train station in Yuen Long as armed men in white shirts stormed the train station beating activists.

Mr Lam, was one of dozens injured in the attack, where Hong Kong police are accused of failing to protect democracy activists. Members of the DP Legislative Council have issued a statement saying it is “shocking is that Lam Chuek-ting went from victim to defendant.”

The Hong Kong administration must, without delay, stop political persecution of the opposition, drop these charges against Mr Lam & Mr Hui and cease from committing further acts that intimidate, harass and threaten the political opposition in Hong Kong.

Many of us recall standing shoulder to shoulder with pro-democracy heroes such as Martin Lee, Emily Lau, and the Umbrella Movement campaigners in Hong Kong in 2014, successfully protesting against the Chinese Communist Party’s interference in the island’s electoral system.

LI stand by our previous statements in support for pro-democracy and the people of Hong Kong. We call on all governments around the world to condemn the arrests of Mr Lam & Mr Hui and treat China as a systemic rival seeking to undermine human rights, democracy and the rules-based world order of today.

Lam Cheuk-ting (left) and Ted Hui Chi-fung (right) were arrested at their homes in the early hours of 26 August 2020. (Images from Wiki Commons)

Main Image by Studio Incendo on Flickr