Hong Kong leader says pro-democracy 'protest' vote might have violated new security laws

Record ID: 1562098

  • Title: Hong Kong leader says pro-democracy 'protest' vote might have violated new security laws
  • Date: 13th July 2020
  • Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (JULY 13, 2020) (REUTERS) HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE CARRIE LAM AND OTHER OFFICIALS AT NEWS CONFERENCE LAM SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CARRIE LAM, SAYING: "I will just put down a further note of warning. If this so-called primary election's purpose is to achieve the ultimate goal of delivering what they called a '35+' with the objective of, objecting to, resisting every policy, initiative of the Hong Kong SAR government, then it may fall into the category of subverting the state power, which is now one of the four types of offenses under the new national security law." JOURNALIST SITTING / CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CARRIE LAM, SAYING: "So, we will not tolerate any practices trying to interfere, disrupt, cause confusion to a coming election in September, to the legislative council." LAM AND OTHER OFFICIALS SITTING
  • Embargoed: 27th July 2020 18:14
  • Keywords: Carrie Lam China Hong Kong leader pro-democracy protests
  • Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
  • City: HONG KONG, CHINA
  • Country: Hong Kong
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CMN5BGN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Monday (July 13) that an unofficial city-wide election conducted by the pro-democracy camp over the weekend might have violated new national security laws by "subverting state power".
    The weekend election drew more than 600,000 votes, in what democrats described as a symbolic protest vote against tough new laws imposed by Beijing on the former British colony.
    The vote at around 250 polling stations was held to decide the strongest pro-democracy candidates to contest key Legislative Council elections in September.
    The city's opposition camp is aiming to seize majority control in the 70-seat legislature for the first time from pro-Beijing rivals by riding a wave of anti-China sentiment stirred by the law, which critics say has gravely undermined Hong Kong's freedoms.
    The new law punishes secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison and allows mainland Chinese security agents to operate officially in Hong Kong for the first time.
    Lam told reporters that if the democrats' aim to gain a legislative majority was to obstruct government policies, "then it may fall into the category of subverting the state power". She didn't elaborate.
    One of the organisers of the election, Benny Tai, had told reporters that the results of the poll had been leaked ahead of an official announcement. But he said there had been no personal data breach of the voters.
    (Production: Yoyo Chow, Aleksander Solum)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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