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Beijing vows to overhaul Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, tightening grip on elections
A top Chinese politician announced plans on Friday to revise parts of Hong Kong’s constitution and institute sweeping political changes there in response to “chaos” in the city’s society. One critic said the drastic changes would make future elections meaningless in the city, while a pro-Beijing politician in Hong Kong said the time was ripe to plug loopholes in the system. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) standing committee, outlined the draft of the “NPC’s decision to improve the HKSAR’s electoral system” at the opening ceremony of the legislature’s annual mee...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Four Hong Kong democrats in subversion case to be freed on bail after Justice Dept. drops to challenge decision
Four of the 47 Hong Kong democrats facing trial for subversion under the national security law will soon be released on bail, after the Department of Justice on Friday withdrew its appeal against a magistrate’s decision to release them and 11 others on bail pending trial. The DoJ on Friday revoked its decision to review Chief Magistrate Victor So’s extension of bail to district councillor Clarisse Yeung, barrister Lawrence Lau, activist Hendrick Lui and businessman Mike Lam. The four are among 47 pro-democracy figures accused of violating the Beijing-imposed security legislation by committing ...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong proposes 5 more statutory holidays for all citizens by 2030
The government has published a bill to give Hongkongers an extra five days of public holidays, to be phased in by 2030. The bill, gazetted on Friday, will gradually raise the annual number of statutory holidays — which bosses must grant — to 17, from 12 at present. These are in addition to any annual leave which employers already grant of their own volition. The government currently lists 17 general holidays but bosses are only required by law to allow workers to take 12 of them, known as statutory holidays. Workers in many blue-collar jobs have in the past only enjoyed the 12 days. The new la...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Covid-19: Hong Kong eateries required to have designated bussers; 70 Heng An Standard Life staffers in gov’t quarantine
Restaurants are required to have designated bussers from Thursday onwards following an outbreak at a diner. Hong Kong recorded nine coronavirus infections on Thursday, six of which were locally transmitted and one of them had unknown origins. The government updated its anti-epidemic regulations on Tuesday, stating that restaurants will be required to have designated staffers that are only responsible for cleaning-up duties from this Thursday. The new rules came after an outbreak at the Mr. Ming’s Chinese Dining in Tsim Sha Tsui’s K11 Musea mall led to at least 49 cases. Leading microbiologist ...
Hong Kong Free Press
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BREAKING: Hong Kong court grants bail to 15 of 47 democrats facing security law charges
A Hong Kong court has granted bail to 15 of the 47 pro-democracy figures pending trial over allegations of “subversion” under the Beijing-enacted national security law. Chief Magistrate Victor So delivered the decision on Thursday evening. The decisions follow a marathon hearing that stretched across four days. The democrats – consisting of 39 men and eight women – were first brought to the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Monday to face charges of “conspiracy to commit subversion” in connection with an unofficial legislative primary election last July. Former law professor and leader of th...
Hong Kong Free Press
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‘One country, two systems’ and other key Hong Kong phrases disappear from Beijing’s Two Sessions report
The phrases “one country, two systems,” ‘”Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong”, and “high degree of autonomy” have all disappeared from a report at China’s largest annual political session that began on Thursday. The news comes as Beijing signals a overhaul of the city’s electoral system to ensure rule by “patriots.” The change marks the first time all three fundamental concepts underpinning the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, have not featured in the annual report. Last year, the phrases “One Country, Two Systems” and “autonomy” were included, while all three remained present in 2019. ...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong court refuses to lift reporting restrictions on bail hearing for democrats facing security law charges, despite online leaks
A Hong Kong court has refused to lift reporting restrictions on the bail proceedings for 47 pro-democracy figures facing one count of “conspiracy to commit subversion” under the Beijing-imposed national security law. Chief Magistrate Victor So ruled on Thursday that the high-profile case shall remain subject to the rules set out in section 9P of the Criminal Procedures Ordinance. The decision came after some media outlets filed an application on Wednesday for the restrictions to be waived, as dozens of journalists flocked to the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to cover the city’s biggest nati...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong axed from economic freedom index after years at top spot, now ranked 107th as part of China
Hong Kong is now counted as part of China and has been excluded from a US think tank’s economic freedom index. The Heritage Foundation scrapped the city’s 2021 listing saying that its economic policies are “ultimately controlled from Beijing.” In the 27th edition of the Index of Economic Freedom, Hong Kong is no longer listed separately despite topping the chart for 25 consecutive years. Hong Kong has been ranked the freest economy in the world since 1995, until it was overtaken by Singapore in 2020 after the foundation cited “intensifying uncertainties related to security issues” due to the g...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong democrats facing security law charges return to court for the 4th day after seven fire lawyers
The hearing for 47 Hong Kong pro-democracy figures facing national security charges dragged into a fourth day on Thursday. The bail hearing continued after seven defendants dismissed their lawyers on Wednesday to speak for themselves in court. At around 9 am on Thursday, a long queue was seen outside the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts as citizens waited in patchy drizzle to get tickets to the open hearing. Many arrived more than an hour before the 39 men and eight women – who stand accused of “conspiracy to commit subversion” – were brought to court again pending a decision on their bail app...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Hong Kong democrats who urge sanctions are ‘separatists’, says CY Leung; does not rule out running for Chief Exec. again
Former chief executive Leung Chun-ying has said that Hongkongers should be grateful for their rights and privileges accorded by Beijing. In the same speech, he labelled democrats who have called for US sanctions “separatists.” “In Hong Kong, by pushing the envelope of democracy too far and by attempting to chip away at the authority of Beijing… many of the so-called democrats have become, in practice, separatists,” he claimed in a video posted to his Facebook page on Tuesday. In the video entitled “How does Hong Kong as a local democracy fit into the Chinese national context?,” Leung criticise...
Hong Kong Free Press
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