Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) A fire broke out early Friday morning at a Taipei restaurant that offers work opportunities to young Hong Kongers who have fled to Taiwan to avoid a crackdown on protesters, but fortunately no injuries were reported, according to the city's fire department.
‘Operation Yellowbird’ Continues, This Time Helping Hong Kong People Flee
An inflatable speedboat, iPhones, and a compass … five young men from Hong Kong, aged 18 to 26, risked their lives to escape to Taiwan by sea in July last year with simple equipment and more than 10 hours’ steering in fear. These are some of the scenes that three of them recently shared with The Wall Street Journal.
The three young men are Ray, a 25-year-old warehouse employee; Tommy, a 22-year-old art student; and Kenny, a 26-year-old civil engineer. They told The Wall Street Journal that at the time of their escape from Hong Kong, all three were in hiding, and two of them had been charged by Hong Kong authorities, likely to face years in prison.
Beijing’s Crackdown Runs Into Hong Kong’s Rule of Law
Pushback against politically motivated prosecutions is emerging from lawyers, judges, and the principles of Hong Kong’s common law system itself.
January 27, 2021
Police detain protesters after a protest in Causeway Bay before the annual handover march in Hong Kong, Wednesday, July. 1, 2020.
Credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung
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Even as the Hong Kong government is increasing penalties for political speech and civic activism, including under the National Security Law enacted last June, the authorities are encountering some constraints on their ability to run roughshod over Hong Kong’s long-respected legal system.
English By Tommy Walker Share on Facebook Print this page
HONG KONG - The aftermath of the 12 Hong Kong activists who fled the city and were detained in Mainland China continued last week, with the release of Hong Kong lawyer Daniel Wong Kwok-tung after 40 hours in police custody.
Wong, 71, was arrested along with 10 others over allegedly helping Hong Kong activists flee the city in August. Wong told a local media news conference he was “perplexed” about why he was arrested.
“I will remain standing in my role, with my expertise, do what I ought to and what I deeply believe in,” Wong said as he was released on bail.
Hong Kong Lawyers Navigate New Legal Terrain Under National Security Law voanews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from voanews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.