Sorry, I don't know much regarding the Hong Kong situation, but what's so bad about Extradition? Plenty of countries have extradition treaties with one another. If Hong Kong doesn't have an Extradition Treaty with China, wouldn't that just encourage Chinese criminals to flee into Hong Kong?
WHY THE EXTRADITION BILL IN HONG KONG IS BAD - RESOURCE POST
I highly recommend this linked post below summarising why the Extradition Bill is bad, and how it also affects people who are NOT in Hong Kong:
PLEASE REBLOG - Say NO to China Extradition Law: Why the extradition law will pass, despite the largest protest in Hong Kong history | Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
PLEASE REBLOG THIS AND SPREAD THE NEWS, IT AFFECTS ALL OF US, EVERYONE THAT GOES TO HONG KONG.
The government’s extradition bill proposes to amend Hong Kong’s existing laws to allow, for the first time, an extradition arrangement between Hong Kong and China. This would allow Chinese authorities to seek the extradition of any person in Hong Kong, regardless of nationality, wanted in China for serious criminal offences.
POINT 1: YOU ARE AT RISK EVEN IF YOU AREN’T CHINESE/HONG KONGER.
POINT 2: CHINA CAN ARREST YOU ON ANY CHARGE SO LONG THEY DEEM IT AS SERIOUS.
POINT 3: WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU SAY ANYTHING BAD, THEY CAN ALSO ARREST YOU SO LONG YOU ENTER HONG KONG. EVEN IF YOU AREN’T IN CHINA, YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS THREATENED.
Hong Kong government claims that:
1. Bill is in response to a request by Taiwanese authorities to extradite from Hong Kong a man wanted in Taiwan for criminal charges
Taiwan has requested a one-off arrangement to be decided solely on the basis of this one case. It has not asked for a change to the existing extradition process, and has indeed made it clear that should the amendments proposed by the bill pass it will not seek to apply for extradition under the new system.
POINT 4: TAIWAN IS JUST BEING USED AS AN EXCUSE IN THIS WHOLE INCIDENT.
2. Means of addressing a supposed loophole in the existing legislation that prevents Hong Kong from having an extradition arrangement with China
“Contrary to the repeated claims of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam – both Chris Patten and Malcolm Rifkind, Hong Kong’s last governor and the UK Foreign Secretary in the lead up to Hong Kong’s 1997 Handover, have both stated that the supposed loop-hole was both deliberate and agreed. With reference to official records, they said that it was in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, as a means to ensure a separation between the rule of law and common law system as it exists in Hong Kong and constitutional law system that is followed in China.”
POINT 5: THE “LOOPHOLE” IS MEANT TO BE THERE TO MAINTAIN RULE OF LAW! BUT HK GOVERNMENT IS SAYING THAT THIS IS A REAL LOOPHOLE AND USING IT AS AN EXCUSE TO AMEND THE LAW TO “COVER/REPAIR” IT, AND IGNORING THE REASON FOR ITS EXISTENCE.
Unlike France and Spain, where any request for extradition might be turned down should either the French or Spanish governments decide, it is improbable to consider the Hong Kong government being able to do the same. Hong Kong exists as a Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China, its founding document – the Basic Law – is subordinate to the national constitution. Furthermore, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive is, in-effect, chosen and then approved by Beijing. Under the amendments proposed, legislative oversight by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council – which is itself only partially elected by universal suffrage – would be removed, with the final decision resting solely with the Chief Executive.
HK GOVERNMENT RAISES EXAMPLE THAT FRANCE HAS EXTRADITION AGREEMENTS BUT FRANCE CAN REFUSE. HONG KONG CANNOT.
HK IS TIED TO BASIC LAW, WHICH IS BELOW THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION.
HK’S CHIEF EXEC IS CHOSEN BY BEIJING.
“OVERSIGHT” IS BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BUT IS PARTIALLY ELECTED BY UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
NEW AMENDMENTS = EVEN THIS LITTLE “OVERSIGHT” IS REMOVED.FINAL DECISION RESTS SOLELY WITH CHIEF EXEC (WHICH IS BEIJING-APPOINTED.)
Speculation continues to be rife as to whether this determination to pass the bill, despite an unprecedented level of opposition, is to fulfil an order from Beijing. If this is not the case, and talk of Beijing interfering directly in an area where Hong Kong is meant to be autonomous is genuinely unfounded, it does beg the question as to why does the Hong Kong government continue to insist?
What is being proposed is for any person in Hong Kong, whether resident or in transit, to be subject to arrest and extradition to China to face criminal charges, where entrapment, torture and forced televised confession is an accepted means of legally persecuting critics. And for political reasons in effect a request made by of Hong Kong by a Chinese court cannot be declined should it be in the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.
IMPORTANT POST, MUST READ, if you still do not understand, you will after reading this: HONG KONG RALLIES AGAINST CHINA’S EXTRADITION PLAN
“The amendment will make it possible for mainland authorities to get hold of journalists in Hong Kong [on] all kinds of unfounded charges. This sword hanging over journalists will muzzle both the journalists and the whistleblowers, bringing an end to the limited freedom of speech that Hong Kong still enjoys.”
American Chamber of Commerce, business sector:
“Mainland criminal process has deep flaws, including lack of an independent judiciary, arbitrary detention, lack of fair public trial, lack of access to legal representation and poor prison conditions,” read the letter, which was dated March 4.
The bill has been criticised for exposing local residents to the risk of facing trial in the mainland, where there are concerns over the rule of law and human rights protections.
Hong Kong’s legal sector staged a rare protest against the city’s controversial extradition bill on Thursday. Clad in black, several thousand lawyers gathered at Central’s Court of Final Appeal before marching in silence to government headquarters in Admiralty.
“[W]e fear that Hong Kong is in reality moving towards ‘One Country, One and a Half Systems.’ We also believe that the Chinese government’s approach to Hong Kong is moving closer to ‘One Country, One System’ than it is to maintaining its treaty commitments under the Joint Declaration,”
Here is a film (ENG SUBBED!) aptly titled “Who’s Next” but the Chinese title literally means “Meat on the Cutting Board”, a phrase often used in Chinese to describe the weaker side of a power struggle who is now completely powerless and disadvantaged and can only helplessly watch, like the meat on the cutting board, as the butcher cuts and slices through whichever way he desires.
Police proceeded to use excessive violence on unarmed peaceful protesters. Why is the police and government reacting so violently to reasonable questioning from the public? :)))))
It is not a matter of criminals, it is a matter of criminals being used as an excuse to rob freedoms and clamp down on human rights.
More linked posts below on what the police and protesters are doing at ground zero:
What is happening on the ground at the protests?
VERY COMPREHENSIVE TWITTER THREAD WITH BITE-SIZED INFO ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HONG KONG RIGHT NOW.
HONG KONG UPDATE: 13TH JUN 2019 00:15
Junior high students were shot at and beaten.
A young girl was beaten flat by at least 7 to 9 armed police with batons, shields and kicking legs. There is a video on twitter.
Elderly were shot at and beaten.
Youth were shot at and beaten.
The press were shot at and beaten.
Innocent, unarmed and peaceful protesters were shot at and beaten.
Someone just said “Don’t use so much tear gas” and without warning, police stuck a gun in her face point zero and fired.
A RTHK news contracted driver was shot in the head and became unconscious.
A young man was choking and drowning in his own blood as he laid on the ground and paramedics tried to administer first aid.
Police used beanbag rounds, rubber rounds, tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons and batons against UNARMED PEACEFUL PROTESTERS THAT DID NOT EVEN WIELD ANYTHING NOR BURN ANYTHING. All protesters did was to build barricades to stand behind. There was no warning, and the shots were largely headshots. HEADSHOTS.
Police went around ID-ing people illegally. Searching bags illegally. Body searching illegally. Searching vehicles illegally. Refusing to answer questions nor provide officer information as per protocol.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam refuses to backdown, gaslightedHong Kongers by calling them the “rioters” instead when there was no violence until the riot police came. 🤔🙃 There has been no violence from protesters ever since congregation last night. Carrie Lam cried on tv and blamed Hong Kongers for the violence, then she wished that there would be peace in society. Excuse me??? Lam said that as a mother, she cannot give her son whatever he wants. But hey, you’re a politican, not our mother. This is a democracy. Besides, do you expect son to abett the mother in doing bad things?
Lam: “This is not an act out of love for Hong Kong.” Nor is your Extradition Bill an act out of love for Hong Kong.
As someone on Twitter said: “Who is this fucker on TVB pearl who told me if I’m upset about the bill I should “read a pamphlet” they released yesterday. 😡 I think we passed the pamphlet stage when you shot bullets at secondary school kids.“
HONG KONG UPDATE: 13TH JUNE 2019 13:35
CHINA ATTACKED TELEGRAM ON 12TH JUNE 2019 DUE TO HONG KONG PROTESTS
SOME OF THE GUNS DEPLOYED ON 12TH JUNE 2019 AGAINST UNARMED PEACEFUL (AND EVEN RETREATING) PROTESTERS
HONG KONG UPDATE 13TH JUNE 2019 15:46
HONG KONG UPDATE 13TH JUNE 2019 19:23
Police comissioner claims that only 150 rounds of tear gas, a few rubber bullets and 29 beanbag shots were fired on 12 June 2019. 🤔 Defended the police force and called police action “very restrained”. Oh? Police chasing and hunting unarmed peaceful and sometimes retreating protesters with tear gas, bullets, pepper spray, batons and shields is “very restrained”? As someone said, “The militarization of police in places like the USA where police regularly shoot and kill unarmed children make the weapons HK police used look like toys. That doesn’t make it right and it’s not the standard HK Police should compare themselves too.”
150 CANISTERS OF TEAR GAS FIRED IN 1 DAY IN 2019
87 CANISTERS DURING OCCUPY CENTRAL IN 2014
Ah, I see that the Hong Kong government and the police are very desperate to see the Extradition Bill pass.
POLICE ARE NOW ARRESTING INJURED PROTESTERS AT HOSPITALS.
HONG KONG UPDATE 13TH JUNE 2019 21:17
Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights Deeply Concerned About Children’s Safety
I highly recommend following the website and twitter account of independent news site Hong Kong Free Press. They provide up-to-date, on-the-ground and professional coverage. Some of their members like Kris Cheng and Tom Grundy were in the midst of the tear gas chaos on 12th June 2019.
Although this post has been a long one, I hope that all of you who are reading this have also opened up the links I have provided, for this also concerns your own safety in future. I congratulate you for reaching the end of this post, and feel free to track “anti-extradition”, “hong kong”, “china”, “news” and “and so the world spins” on my tumblr for any further updates.
“THE PRICE GOOD MEN PAY FOR INDIFFERENCE TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS TO BE RULED BY EVIL MEN.”
yousharknotpass
gummygunk
2087
kaledo-art
blakekathryn
annaxmalina
