On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke out against the recent arrests and charges made against pro-democracy advocates in Hong Kong over the weekend, affirming the solidarity between the people of the United States and the people of Hong Kong.
Blinked tweeted: “We condemn the detention of and charges filed against pan-democratic candidates in Hong Kong’s elections and call for their immediate release. Political participation and freedom of expression should not be crimes. The U.S. stands with the people of Hong Kong.”
We condemn the detention of and charges filed against pan-democratic candidates in Hong Kong's elections and call for their immediate release. Political participation and freedom of expression should not be crimes. The U.S. stands with the people of Hong Kong.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 1, 2021
According to Reuters, 47 pro-democracy advocates and activists in Hong Kong were charged “with conspiracy to commit subversion in the largest single crackdown on the opposition under a China-imposed national security law.”
During a sequence of multiple dawn raids on January 6, 55 people were arrested in Hong Kong due to their alleged involvement with an unofficial primary last summer that had the goal of choosing the best candidates for a “legislative council election.” Out of the those arrested, Hong Kong law enforcement officials announced that they had found charges against the 47 democracy activists and campaigners. Those 47 people are set to arrive in court on Monday.
The European Union Office in Hong Kong reportedly called for the activists to be freed immediately. “The nature of these charges makes clear that legitimate political pluralism will no longer be tolerated in Hong Kong,” it said in a statement.
Included in the group of people charged are veterans such as Leung Kwok-hung, Eddie Chu, and Alvin Yeung, as well as former law professor Benny Tai and well-known young campaigners like Lester Shum, Joshua Wong, and Owen Chow.
The Chinese national security laws that made it possible to arrest the protestors reportedly serve to “punish acts of subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorism with possible life imprisonment,” according to Reuters.
Reuters added: “China justified the laws to restore order following mass protests in 2019 against perceived Chinese suppression of Hong Kong’s basic liberties and autonomy under the ‘one country, two systems’ arrangement. This was put in place in 1997 when the city reverted from British to Chinese rule.”
Blinken spoke of the situation in Hong Kong, as well as additional human rights offenses in China on Sunday in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
When asked what the United States can do to reprimand China on a practical level for its many human rights issues, Blinken responded, “First of all, it is really important to speak up, to speak out, and to do so with other countries who share our abhorrence at what is – what’s happening to Uyghurs in Xinjiang or, for that matter, what’s happening to democracy in Hong Kong.
“But in terms of practical measures, I think there are a number of things that can be done. For example, countries should not be supplying any products or technology that can be used for the repression of people in China; for example, the Uyghurs. Similarly, countries should look at making sure they’re not importing products that are made with forced labor. Those are very practical things that countries can do and focus on to make sure that not only is our voice loud but our actions are too,” Blinken added.
The reports of abuses against the Uyghurs in China came up, as well, including the fact that the Canadian parliament recently declared it a genocide. The interviewer asked Blinken, “Have you given the Canadian Government information to support confirmation that it is, in fact, a genocide we are seeing there?”
At first, Blinken responded, saying, “Well, I think each country, each government needs to make its own assessment, its own determination following its laws and practices. We’ve made clear what we believe, and we look to other countries to make their own determinations.”
When pressed on the issue of whether or not he believes it is a genocide, Blinken clarified, “Yes, I have said so, and I’ve made that clear on behalf of the United States. President Biden, more importantly, has said so as well.”