China, life in prison for protesting

Discussion in 'Law & Justice' started by kazenatsu, Jul 1, 2020.

  1. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Of course the law in China doesn't say directly say that you can get life in prison for protesting, but these protesters were charged with other much more serious laws. It all comes down to interpretation of the law by the courts.

    Ironically the main point of complaint that these protests were about is China changing its law to give mainland Chinese courts direct jurisdiction and extradition power over Hong Kong.


    Hong Kong police have made their first arrests under a new "anti-protest" law imposed by Beijing, as crowds marked 23 years since the end of British rule.

    Ten people were held accused of violating the law, including a man with a pro-independence flag. About 360 others were detained at a banned rally.

    The national security law targets secession, subversion and terrorism with punishments up to life in prison.

    Activists say it erodes freedoms but China has dismissed the criticism.

    Hong Kong's sovereignty was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 and certain rights were supposed to be guaranteed for at least 50 years under the "one country, two systems" agreement.

    On Wednesday, thousands gathered for the annual pro-democracy rally to mark the handover anniversary, defying a ban by authorities who cited restrictions on gatherings of more than 50 people because of Covid-19.

    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China had broken its promise to Hong Kong's people.

    But in Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian urged countries to look at the situation objectively and said China would not allow foreign interference in its domestic affairs.

    What does the new law say?

    Crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces are punishable by a minimum sentence of three years, with the maximum being life. It also says:

    Damaging public transport facilities - which often happened during the 2019 protests - can be considered terrorism

    Beijing will establish a new security office in Hong Kong, with its own law enforcement personnel - neither of which would come under the local authority's jurisdiction

    Inciting hatred of China's central government and Hong Kong's regional government are now offences under Article 29

    The law can also be broken from abroad by non-residents under Article 38, and this could mean that foreigners could be arrested on arrival in Hong Kong

    Some trials will be heard behind closed doors​


    The article also shows a picture of a man who was arrested for holding a "Hong Kong independence" flag.

    Police used their own flag, with writing, to warn protesters that certain slogans and banners might now constitute serious crimes.
    The flag stated: "This is a police warning. You are displaying flags or banners / chanting slogans / or conducting yourselves with an intent such as succession or subversion, which may constitute an offences under the 'HKSAR National Security Law'. You may be arrested and prosecuted."


    Ahead of the protest, pro-democracy activist Tsang Kin-shing, of the League of Social Democrats, warned there was a "large chance of our being arrested", saying: "The charges will not be light, please judge for yourself."

    A man who gave his name as Seth, 35, told Reuters: "I'm scared of going to jail but for justice I have to come out today, I have to stand up."

    The law gives Beijing extensive powers to shape life in the territory that it has never had before. It not only introduces a series of tough punishments for a long list of crimes, it changes the way justice is administered.

    Trials can be held in secret - and without a jury. Judges can be handpicked. The law reverses a presumption that suspects will be granted bail. There appears to be no time limit on how long people can be held.

    Crimes are described in vague terms, leading to the possibility of broad interpretation, and the right to interpret lies only in Beijing. Foreign nationals outside of Hong Kong face prosecution.

    In the US, lawmakers from both parties have launched a bill to give refugee status to Hong Kong residents at risk of persecution.
    Taiwan's government has said it will set up a special office to help those in Hong Kong facing immediate political risks.​

    https://news.yahoo.com/hong-kong-anti-protest-law-032940892.html
    BBC News, Hong Kong: First arrests under 'anti-protest' law as handover marked, July 1, 2020, Michael Bristow, BBC World Service Asia-Pacific editor
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2020
  2. Zorro

    Zorro Well-Known Member

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    The world is finally uniting against China's bully tactics https://nypost.com/2020/07/04/the-world-is-finally-uniting-against-chinas-bully-tactics/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons… via
    @nypost

    [​IMG]
    Brutal Thug W/ Winnie The Pooh Face

    World powers are no longer so eager to sit back and let Lying Outlaw Chinese President Xi Jinping walk all over them.

    Twenty Indian soldiers are
    murdered in a surprise cross-border attack by the Lying Outlaw People’s Liberation Army. A Philippine fishing boat is sunk in its own territorial waters by increasingly predatory Lying Outlaw Chinese ships. Peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong are beaten bloody by riot police on Lying Outlaw Beijing’s orders. Australia’s farmers and miners are hit with trade sanctions after Canberra suggests that the virus, which came out of China, may have come from . . . China.

    The world is finally uniting against China’s bully tactics.

    Lying Outlaw Chinese President Xi Jinping has decided that now is the time to assert dominance over an economically prostrate post-pandemic world. But instead of just rolling over, a growing number of nations are fighting back.

    India, for one, is clearly not intimidated. In response to Lying Outlaw China’s unprovoked attack, the largest democracy in the world has moved 30,000 troops to the Himalayan border. Many Indians are now boycotting “Made in China” products, a task made easier because online retailers like Amazon have been ordered by New Delhi to tell buyers where products are made.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also raised tariffs on Chinese goods, restricted Chinese investments and banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps from Indian phones.
     
  3. FreshAir

    FreshAir Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Trump would do the same if he could get away with it, they are two peas in a pod
     
  4. Xenamnes

    Xenamnes Banned

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    Not relevant to the discussion at hand. Stay on topic as this pertains to the nation of China, and only the nation of China.
     
    Imnotreallyhere likes this.
  5. Eleuthera

    Eleuthera Well-Known Member Donor

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    China's "bully tactics" pale compared to what the Brits and US, the self-proclaimed "enlightened western powers" are doing to Julian Assange.

    His "crime"? Revealing the crimes of those "enlightened western powers" governments.
     
  6. Imnotreallyhere

    Imnotreallyhere Well-Known Member Donor

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    The whole rape charge in Sweden and the espionage charge from the US are of course spurious even though Trump would be eager to point a finger at the Dems for bad behavior.
     
  7. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Can we please try to stay on-topic?
     

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