Roundup: Various sectors in Hong Kong support arrest of 53 people suspected of violating national security law

2021-01-07 15:35:35 GMT2021-01-07 23:35:35(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

HONG KONG, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong Police's arrest of 53 people suspected of breaching the national security law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is a legal, reasonable and necessary action to protect national security and maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, Hong Kong people from various sectors have said.

In March to April last year, Benny Tai and others, now under arrest, set up a plan to paralyze the HKSAR government and force the HKSAR Chief Executive to resign once they seize the control of the legislature by winning more than half of the Legislative Council (LegCo) seats during the election for the seventh-term LegCo members, originally scheduled to take place in September last year.

To that end, they organized the so-called "primary election" in July last year to rig the election.

Maggie Chan, founding president of the Small and Medium Law Firms Association of Hong Kong, said the true purpose of the so-called "primary election" was to seize the governance of Hong Kong, jeopardize "one country, two systems" and endanger national state power, sovereignty and security.

Chan said the people under arrest in essence planned to stage a "color revolution."

Ip Chun-yuen with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said the people under arrest, who provided funds for their so-called election, incited residents to participate in illegal activities and colluded with external forces to rig the election, were suspected of violating the national security law in Hong Kong.

Maria Tam Wai-chu, deputy director of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee under the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that the arrested people completely ignored the overall interests of Hong Kong.

If the LegCo cannot maintain normal operation including reviewing budgets and bills, there will be actually a shutdown of both the legislature and the government, which will negatively affect the public welfare from health care to education, Tam said.

While some opposition figures claimed that the police operation targeting those involved in the so-called "primary election" suppresses democracy and freedom, legal experts have pointed out that such election activity had nothing to do with democracy and freedom.

LegCo member Martin Liao Cheung-kong said it is clear that the people under arrest are suspected of committing the offense of subverting the state power under the national security law in Hong Kong. Another lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok said such organized and premeditated acts to paralyze the HKSAR government and endanger national security must not be condoned.

Ng Leung-sing, a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, said that safeguarding the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and national security is legitimate and those slandering and smearing the police operation obviously adopted double standards and attempted to undermine "one country, two systems."

Experts said that the police's law enforcement action has sufficient legal basis and will not affect the legitimate rights and freedom of Hong Kong people.

Hong Kong practicing barrister Wu Yingpeng said the police's operation only targets organizers and plotters who tried to seriously disrupt the operation of the HKSAR authorities, rather than ordinary people.

The legal rights and freedom of the general public will still be protected by law, Wu added.

Kan Chung-nin, chairman of the Association of Hong Kong Professionals, called on Hong Kong residents to recognize the truth and support the police and not to be misled by opposition politicians and external forces. Enditem

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