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https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Hong-Kong-security-law/Amnesty-International-to-shut-Asia-headquarters-in-Hong-Kong>
"HONG KONG — Human rights advocacy group Amnesty International plans to close
its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong by the end of the year due to
constraints on its operations from the national security law imposed on the
city last year by Beijing.
Research, advocacy and campaigning work will move to other offices in the
region, a step that will affect about 30 staff members. Local fundraising and
human rights education work is to come to an end by Sunday.
"Hong Kong has long been an ideal regional base for international civil society
organizations, but the recent targeting of local human rights and trade union
groups signals an intensification of the authorities' campaign to rid the city
of all dissenting voices," Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, chair of Amnesty's
international board, said in a statement. "It is increasingly difficult for us
to keep operating in such an unstable environment."
Since the imposition of the security law, the authorities have launched a broad
crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, jailing dozens of activists and opposition
politicians, removing library books and ratcheting up pressure on critical
civic groups.
More than 60 such organizations, including political parties, the city's
largest trade union and a group advocating on behalf of Chinese human rights
lawyers have disbanded in recent months. Leaders of a group focused on
memorializing the 1989 Tiananmen massacre face prosecution for "inciting
subversion" and refusing to cooperate with a police probe.
An email sent in January to the national security bureau in Hong Kong accused
Amnesty of committing "serious violations" and "poisoning students" with its
human rights education program, and included names of the organization's
donors. Amnesty said the incident did not pose a serious threat but added to
its growing concerns.
Local officials, meanwhile, have joined Beijing in condemning critical reports
and statements recently issued by the group. Amnesty's departure from Hong Kong
will leave it without a presence on Chinese soil for the first time in over 40
years."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
