Thank you Lord Patten of Barnes for urging the British government to publicly respond to the case of British citizen
#JimmyLai
, who is approaching 1,000 days in prison in
#HongKong
.
#FreeJimmyLai
🚨 Excited to announce that I have joined
@hk_watch
as a Research and Policy Advisor in London!
Looking forward to this new challenge as I continue advocating for the people of
#HongKong
and working with many of you.
DM me if you are in the area and want to catch up 😊
"It may be no coincidence that the trial [of
#JimmyLai
] began a week before Christmas... The regime hopes that after the initial flurry of attention, we will all move on with our lives and forget about Lai. We must ensure that we do not let that happen."
Arrived in
#Brussels
and looking forward to two days of all things advocacy for
#HongKong
, especially as the Hong Kong LegCo swiftly reviews
#Article23
legislation.
Always a pleasure to chat with
@benedictrogers
and glad to finally have a copy of his latest book! Thank you for everything you do for the
#HongKong
movement worldwide 👏
#UKHKSummit
Tomorrow, Friday 8 December, is
#JimmyLai
's 76th birthday, but he is spending it, once again, in prison.
Our co-founder and CEO
@benedictrogers
has written this message in traditional Chinese characters to mark Jimmy Lai's birthday.
#FreeJimmyLai
My latest op-ed in
@RadioFreeAsia
on one of many forms of transnational repression against Hong Kongers who have fled from political persecution in the city ⬇️
'Hong Kong exiles in 🇬🇧 and 🇨🇦 lack access to billions of their savings'
Thank you
@David_Cameron
for reassuring the 6
#HongKongers
with arrest warrants & bounties who live in the UK that the 🇬🇧 government "will not tolerate any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK."
It was a pleasure speaking at the
#UKHKSummit
on behalf of
@thecfhk
to energise Hong Kongers to share their stories with British Parliamentarians to generate positive change for
#HongKong
and Hong Kongers who have made Britain their home.
🧵 Let this be the year in which Ministers finally face up to the challenge of
#China
Despite numerous calls led by
@IoWBobSeely
&
@RUSI_org
for the Conservative Party to develop a 🇬🇧-🇨🇳 strategy, Britain is still waiting. My proposals for 2024:
Just finished "Beijing Rules" by
@BethanyAllenEbr
, which provides excellent insights into the inner-workings of the
#CCP
, its use of economic coercion around the world, and what we can do in response.
"Lord Sumption and Lord Collins have finally come to their senses and decided that enough is enough under the increasing draconian national security framework in
#HongKong
. Now, there are 7⃣ foreign judges who remain and need to go," said Megan Khoo.
"These two cases are particularly important, as they demonstrate that the freezing of Hongkongers’ assets is not just a
#BNO
issue... but one of transnational repression," said
@megan_khoo
of
@hk_watch
.
@amyhawk_
@tedhuichifung
"The global financial hub has already lost the crown as Asia's 'World City.'
Locking up 76-year old Lai for life will further tarnish its image."
#FreeJimmyLai
Crucial point on
#JimmyLai
⬇️
"China adopts a racial identity policy, claiming that someone born Chinese is forever Chinese. Lai has only one passport. It is British. He has never had a Chinese travel document."
@timloughton
@JimShannonMP
@MarkLClifford
1.86 million Hong Kongers still have no lifeline out of
#HongKong
, despite increasing repression in the city under the
#NSL
and
#Article23
.
It is essential that 🇪🇺 member states open pathways for Hong Kongers. Read more below👇
Productive morning at
@swedeninuk
briefing Nordic officials on the situation in
#HongKong
, including the dangers of
#Article23
legislation,
#FreeJimmyLai
, and our call to 🇪🇺 member states to introduce migration pathways specific to Hong Kongers.
Brilliant and timely piece by
@benedictrogers
👇
"We need to realise that
#HongKong
is just the start. 🇹🇼 is next, and our own democracy is increasingly in the crosshairs, too. We either kowtow, or we wake up and defend our freedoms."
Lovely evening campaigning in my personal capacity for
@MPIainDS
!
IDS has a strong track record, especially when it comes to taking action against authoritarian states like
#China
. Thank you for all that you do.
Make sure you vote on July 4th! 🗳️
🧵 1.86 million Hong Kongers still have no lifeline out of
#HongKong
should they wish to flee from increasing repression under
#Article23
and the National Security Law.
Hong Kong Watch Canada testifies at Human Rights Subcommittee on the detention of Jimmy Lai
#FreeJimmyLai
Watch our 🇨🇦 Policy Advisor
@KathLeungHK
's statement to the
#HumanRights
Subcommittee👇
Deeply concerning outcome from the
#HongKong
government's latest propaganda programme👇
'Hong Kong’s first national security convict Tong Ying-kit says he was ‘misled’ by fake news'
Always a pleasure to see Sebastien Lai in London.
Thank you for your courage in sharing the extraordinary life of your father to secure his unconditional release.
#FreeJimmyLai
#JusticeforJimmy
Happy birthday
@benedictrogers
! 🥳
Thank you for being a stellar boss, colleague, friend, and advocate for so many individuals and human rights around the world.
I hope you have the most wonderful day celebrating!
Interesting piece on a poll run in 14 countries, 10 of which are in the
#EU
, that reveals the majority of individuals believe the rise of
#China
is inevitable yet negative.
@gmfus
@GarimaMo
Brilliant op-ed by
@benedictrogers
👇
"Sanctioning two hackers and a front company and summoning the Chinese ambassador are welcome steps, but they won’t leave
#Beijing
quaking in their boots.
"It is very scary thinking I may never see him again and that he might die in prison," Sébastien Lai said on Monday at a special screening of a documentary about his father hosted by
@globeandmail
in
#Toronto
.
#FreeJimmyLai
"Nevertheless, the decision by two of
#HongKong
's most prominent, experienced and distinguished foreign judges to step down is both a much-needed and long-overdue message to the world about the demise of the rule of law in Hong Kong."
@benedictrogers
Back in
#Geneva
for the
@UN
CEDAW Committee's review of
#China
's state report.
So far, so good as the
#CCP
's representative for
#HongKong
just reassured the room that things are better than ever in Hong Kong 🙃
Tune in here ⬇️
Concerning piece by
@benedictrogers
on Jimmy Lai being denied the right to Holy Communion as he remains behind bars in
#HongKong
.
@Pontifex
should swiftly respond to this gross violation of religious freedom.
#FreeJimmyLai
"In towns such as Sutton and Wokingham, where many Hong Kongers live, the influence of
#HongKong
society is obvious as the election approaches. Candidates seeking to secure their votes are addressing their concerns and needs." 👏
@LyndonLee16
Check out my latest piece in
@Diplomat_APAC
on how the freezing of Hong Kongers’ savings is just one aspect of transnational repression against the
#HongKong
diaspora, and what
@UKLabour
can do in response ⬇️
It is a great privilege working with
@benedictrogers
– a real champion of human rights and one of the best bosses I have ever had.
I look forward to continuing to work with you on all things
#HongKong
, and know you will excel in your next chapter! 🥂
🧵SOME PERSONAL NEWS:
Dear friends - especially
#HongKongers
: on 2 August I will transition from my role as Chief Executive of
@hk_watch
to become a Trustee of Hong Kong Watch.
After 4 years of leading Hong Kong Watch full-time, it is time for me to step up to a new challenge/
I'm not crying, you're crying 🥹
Thank you for everything,
@benedictrogers
🙏🏼
We look forward to continuing our work with you and know you will be absolutely brilliant in your new role!
🧵This afternoon I chaired my last
@hk_watch
monthly staff half-day meeting as Chief Executive, then had a most wonderful farewell gathering with my incredible team
I am so proud of our team, past and present -
@megan_khoo
and Thomas Benson,
@SamGoodman22
and
@HarriJThomas
/
My latest piece on how EU member states should swiftly consider introducing lifeboat schemes for Hong Kongers in response to the passage of
#Article23
in
#HongKong
via
@RadioFreeAsia
👇
Spoke to
@itsjanewriting
at
@ntduknews
about how Hong Kongers on the
#BNO
visa scheme continue to be denied over £3 billion worth of their hard-earned retirement savings.
Latest
@hk_watch
research here:
Powerful piece on
@caoilfhionnanna
's legal work including her lead role in defending 🇬🇧 citizen Jimmy Lai, who has been imprisoned in
#HongKong
for 1000+ days for speaking the truth.
#FreeJimmyLai
At the same moment
@Galschiot
opened the 'Pillar of Shame' exhibition in front of
@Europarl_EN
, the Legislative Council passed
#Article23
in
#HongKong
.
We will continue to call out the human rights abuses of the
#CCP
, and fight for the city that so many love and call home.
Today, we publish our inaugural research report! It’s titled ‘De-Risking on the Surface, Re-Risking Underneath’ and in it, we critically examine
#Germany
’s current framework for town and regional twinning and how it poses strategic threats to Germany. Our key findings in the
This is another example of the absolute fear that dictators have of the Magnitsky Act. If anything, the countries with Magnitsky Acts should immediately sanction the Hong Kong officials involved in the unjust political persecution of Jimmy Lai
"It would be understandable to retreat from the battlefield. But to do so would be entirely wrong. Now, when
#HongKong
needs our support, our solidarity and our prayers in its darkest hour, we must not abandon Hong Kong."
@benedictrogers
'The insidious undermining of religious freedom in Hong Kong' via
@benedictrogers
⬇️
"When freedom itself is dismantled, sooner or later freedom of religion is undermined."
Always interesting waking up in 🇬🇧 on 🇺🇸 Independence Day, but so grateful to be from and live in democratic countries that value freedom 🎆
#GodBlessAmerica
#HappyVoting
Proud of my
@hk_watch
colleague and friend
@KathLeungHK
for giving this powerful testimony to the Canadian Senate on swiftly passing Bill C-70 to combat transnational repression in 🇨🇦.
"There will be no shortage of well-meaning statements to mark a trio of human rights anniversaries this weekend. But, all the while, tyrants around the world are flouting the rules and committing atrocities. It’s time for action," says
@benedictrogers
.
Excited to publish this briefing which details 4⃣ ways the EU should approach
#HongKong
ahead of our second visit to
#Brussels
since the start of the new
@Europarl_EN
.
Thank you
@MiriamMLex
for your ongoing support.
A guide: How
@Europarl_EN
and other EU Institutions should approach
#HongKong
⬇️
@MiriamMLex
, Patron of Hong Kong Watch and Co-Chair of
@ipacglobal
, said: “I have already been encouraged by the number of my colleagues in the new Parliament that are
Wonderful to hear from
@CatherineWest1
at the
@ukhksymposium
this morning. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to protecting the rights of Hong Kongers in 🇬🇧.
Check out this new piece by
@anoukwear
and I in
@RadioFreeAsia
recapping today's UPR on
#China
👇
'China tried, but failed, to prevent UN scrutiny of its human rights violations'
Encouraged to see such a prominent group of experts coming together to raise grave concerns on the religious freedom implications of
#Article23
in
#HongKong
.
God is at work and sovereign, even in the midst of it.
🧵 Our Chief Executive
@benedictrogers
testified to the 🇨🇦 Parliament on the case of 🇬🇧 citizen Jimmy Lai.
You can watch his testimony below👇
#FreeJimmyLai
Brilliant piece by
@benedictrogers
ahead of tomorrow's UPR of
#China
, highlighting 'ten making-clears' for
@UN
Member States to propose to Xi's regime.
The Prosecution produced, as ‘evidence’ of his ‘crime,’ a message sent to
@benedictrogers
in order to reach Chris Patten.
Simply ludicrous. It impacts any journalist seeking a comment on an issue of public importance, via a contact who is a UK (or other foreign) national. 2/
Thank you
@RSF_inter
for hosting an informative press conference and
@aleksandraketal
for bravely sharing your experience of being DEPORTED from
#HongKong
due to an alleged immigration issue.
"So on Lai's 76th birthday, will
@Pontifex
at the very least pray for him?
"And couldn't
@RishiSunak
and his new Foreign Secretary
@David_Cameron
send birthday greetings to their imprisoned citizen — and publicly call for his release?"
#FreeJimmyLai
"During the ceremony for the
#SOPA
awards on Thursday, Joseph Kahn of the
@nytimes
said journalists in
#HongKong
had to operate in an environment with 'potential red lines' under the security law."
"[
#JimmyLai
] smiled at his supporters after he walked into the courtroom. Some members of the public waved at Mr Lai to show their support.
Hong Kong's Roman Catholic
@CardJosephZen
, a vocal democracy advocate in the city, was among the attendees."
Following the passage of
#Article23
, every country with a
#HKETO
should review their special status and diplomatic privileges as to not provide 🇨🇳 with double representation.