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Meet the Danish politicians wanted by Hong Kong for helping lawmaker Ted Hui flee the city
By Sebastian Skov Andersen It started over a beer and a chat. Less than a year later, Danish youth politicians Thomas Rohden and Anders Storgaard were threatened with potential extradition to the world’s most powerful dictatorship. They’re co-founders of the Danish China-Critical Society, an idea which came to them after a semi-drunken discussion about their “shared hatred for authoritarian regimes, and how much we both hated China and all the crap they do.” Early this month they were facing potential prosecution and extradition to Hong Kong for helping lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Ted ...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Some in Hong Kong’s S.Asian community report rise in discrimination after health official’s Covid-19 comments
Some members of Hong Kong’s South Asian communities have reported an uptick in discriminatory incidents this week, following suggestions by a senior health official that ethnic minorities were engaging in “behaviour that put them at risk” of contracting Covid-19. Reports include being singled out at work, being on the receiving end of derogatory remarks, and being asked to stay home. The uptick comes after Hong Kong’s head of the Health Promotion Branch at the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), Raymond Ho Lei-ming, suggested that the city’s ethnic minorities were at a higher risk of spreading...
Hong Kong Free Press
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In Pictures: Residents in Hong Kong’s Yau Ma Tei stoic amid reports of impending lockdown
Residents and small business owners grappling with a fourth wave of coronavirus infections in a hard-hit Hong Kong district were preparing on Friday for a possible lockdown affecting thousands of people, in what would be the first such move in the city. The Yau Tsim Mong district has for more than a week been the main focus of efforts to combat the virus. On Friday last week the government announced that residents of a designated area in the district must undergo a test following an outbreak at a walk-up building. Following reports of a lockdown, HKFP on Friday took a trip into the designated ...
Hong Kong Free Press
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RTHK tells reporter who asked tough questions of officials to accept short-term contract or face dismissal
A journalist with Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK who is known for her tough questioning of officials has been told to accept a new short-term contract or face dismissal, as an investigation into her conduct continues. The RTHK staff union and the Hong Kong Journalists Association criticised the move in the case of Nabela Qoser, saying it amounted to prejudging the investigation. Qoser has been offered a new probationary employment contract of 120 days after two of her previous probationary periods lapsed. She has been given seven days to decide whether or not to accept it, Apple Daily repor...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Install CCTV in Hong Kong classrooms to monitor teachers, urges pro-Beijing lawmaker
The government should install CCTV cameras in Hong Kong’s classrooms to better monitor teachers’ behaviour and comments, a pro-Beijing lawmaker said Friday, following earlier calls by officials to identify “bad apples” in the profession. “Through installing CCTV cameras… we can objectively monitor the teacher’s classroom environment,” Liberal Party member Tommy Cheung told a legislative committee meeting. He said a recording would also protect teachers who come under scrutiny. The Liberal Party lawmaker said the recording of teachers would also be beneficial to students, who could access class...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong gov’t set to lock down parts of Yau Ma Tei and Jordan as Covid-19 spreads in district – reports
The Hong Kong government is considering imposing its first coronavirus lockdown on thousands of people in densely populated Yau Ma Tei and Jordan, media reports said Friday, as the two districts in Kowloon struggle to curb the spread of the virus despite mandatory testing orders. Sources told local media that authorities may seal off parts of the two districts over the weekend. Residents would have to stay home for at least three days unless they can show a negative test result. The government has reportedly not mapped out the lockdown zone, but some reports said it would cover buildings whose...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong police drop protest charges against district councillors and assistants, citing lack of evidence
Police have told three district councillors and four of their assistants that they will not face charges for taking part in a protest against the national security law on July 1 last year, the day after it came into force. Sha Tin district councillors Sunny Chiu and William Shek announced on Facebook Thursday that they received calls from the police, informing them that charges related to the unauthorised assembly at Times Square would be dropped due to insufficient evidence. Police will drop Public Order Ordinance charges against a total of seven individuals, including Chiu, Shek, a third Sha...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Covid-19: Medical workers urged to maintain social distancing as Yau Ma Tei-Jordan cluster spreads
Hong Kong health officials urged medical workers to refrain from socialising with others after four nurses tested positive or preliminary positive for the coronavirus at several hospitals. Hong Kong reported 70 infections on Thursday, with 63 locally transmitted cases, 16 of which had unknown origins. “We would like to remind our colleagues not to eat together during work or holiday,” said Linda Yu, the HA’s Chief Manager of Clinical Effectiveness and Technology Management. “It’s soon Lunar New Year holiday, we hope that our colleagues can tolerate for a bit [longer] and maintain social-distan...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong district councillors have to swear loyalty to gov’t, top official says
District councillors in Hong Kong could be made to swear allegiance to the city soon, as a top official said the government will submit an amendment bill detailing oath-taking arrangements for public officers after Lunar New Year. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang told the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Thursday that the government heard views expressed by lawmakers and members of the public about requiring district councillors to pledge loyalty to the city and vow to uphold the Basic Law. He said that, after looking into relevant legislation, the government conclud...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong’s Harrow Int’l School paid over HK$240m in fees to firm managed by school board members – report
Tuen Mun’s Harrow International School has paid around HK$240 million in consultancy fees to a private firm with overlapping board members and directors who could be entitled to profit from the deal. As a non-profit, board members are forbidden from receiving income and assets from the school. Two registered charities that manage the school’s finances – Harrow International School (Hong Kong) Limited (Harrow International) and Harrow International School Foundation Limited (Harrow Foundation) – together paid between HK$27.4 million to HK$44.6 million in consultant fees over seven years. The su...
Hong Kong Free Press
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