James Pomfret

HONG KONG (Reuters] – This year’s legislative elections in Hong Kong were meant to represent a significant moment in the history of the movement, as they faced increasing Chinese influence over Hong Kong’s daily life.

Democrats believed they’d win a majority to give them strong control over the future of the ex-British colony.

    But instead of holding rallies for the upcoming election, many are now detained and awaiting trial, living a daily prison routine of sleep, exercise, meals and study while rationed to two pens and six books a month. Other people have fled.

    “Everything happened so fast,” said Sunny Cheung, 25, an activist who is seeking asylum in the United States to avoid prosecution. One year later, they are virtually all gone. They’re either in jail, or they are exiled.”

“This is why we must adhere to our principles, not forget about our history,” especially since many of the leading Democrats have given up their liberty and are currently behind bars.

Reuters interviewed six democrats in jail, exile, or bail ahead of the poll on Sunday. The election was scheduled to take place in September 2020, but the COVID-19 decision delayed it.

Police in Hong Kong charged 47 Hong Kong Democracy Campaigners with conspiring to commit subversion after they participated in an informal “primary” election. This was held following Beijing’s imposition of a national security law.

China’s parliament made sweeping electoral changes soon after the arrests. The number of direct elected seats was reduced from 50% to 25%, with an electoral committee that is pro-Beijing. It will also select more than one third of legislative seats.

China also established a new vetting agency, which was headed by high-ranking officials from Hong Kong. The purpose of the body was to select potential candidates and ensure that “patriots” are not allowed to run.

The government prosecution was granted more time in court to build its case. However, most of the people arrested still remain locked up in six Hong Kong jails while they await the trial.

Justice Peter Law adjourned this case in November and moved it to March. This was partly due to the need for more time to complete the translations of almost 10,000 pages of documentation evidence that the prosecution had presented.

In an attempt to protect their clients’ anonymity, three lawyers representing the democrats spoke anonymously to Reuters to say that the prosecution had not yet provided a complete summary of the allegations. This makes it hard to give legal advice in a deviation from the standard criminal procedure. This delay has not been explained publicly.

Reuters asked Hong Kong’s Constitutional Affairs bureau, and Department of Justice for their responses.

Carrie Lam, the leader of Hong Kong has stated that the election is now more representative and with more balanced participation. She said she would vote for those who are patriotic to lead the city.

PRISON ROUTINE

The 33 Democrats currently behind bars will not appear before the courtroom again until March. There is no indication as yet when they will be tried.

Stanley prison is Hong Kong’s largest men’s prison. Here are high-profile democrats that played an important role in the primary elections, such as Benny Tai, 55, and Leung Kook-hung (65). Joshua Wong is 25 and currently incarcerated in another jail.

Others have chosen to be in solitary confinement while others are incorporated into larger prisoner groups.

Tiffany Yuen, 28 and Claudia Mo 64 are female prisoners being held separately in New Territories. Two sources familiar with the situation claim Yuen was put in isolation in September following unrest at the prison.

Hong Kong democracy campaigners in prison https://graphics.reuters.com/HONGKONG-ELECTION/DEMOCRATS/byvrjqdrbve/HK-Prison_AB.jpg

Reuters received information from the Correctional Services Department saying that although it won’t comment in detail on any individual case it can “empower to impose separate confinement for punishment upon persons in custody who commit offences against jail discipline.”

The daily life of a jailed democratic includes sleep, exercise and eating.

An hour can be allowed to exercise or take a shower after reveille at dawn. Men inmates are allowed to run, play basketball and other sports with the help of a cart. Correctional officers will be watching.

Two visitors can be allowed to those in custody, provided they are not convicted. Food deliveries are also permitted. Based on three sources with knowledge, several prisoners have turned to writing plays, essays and books with two pen rations. Other prisoners read six books per month.

“POINT OF RESISTANCE”

Fourteen members of this group (including former legislators, lawyers) were granted bail.

Reuters spoke with several people who said that Hong Kongers should not vote or ignore the election, despite legal risk. Ten people were arrested by the city’s anticorruption watchdog in recent weeks, allegedly for inciting to vote blankly.

Another democrat said, “There’s not much we can do right now but this is a point to resist,” referring specifically to casting blank votes and disqualifying the election. No matter if you are in exile or jail or part of Hong Kong society, the outside environment can corrode your spirit.

In an effort to present their top candidates, the democrats held street booths last July.

Pop-up voting stations were used by nearly 600,000. This is approximately 15% of 4,000,000 registered voters in the city.

The democrats won 90% of almost 500 seat in the district council elections held late 2019. This was a record turnout rate at 71%.

Democrats who have been imprisoned can still vote. But, foreign democrats are not allowed to vote. All major parties except the Democratic Party decided against contesting the election, citing that it was undemocratic.

The authorities have worked to get support, providing free transportation to the polling stations, and using social media to encourage people to vote.

Cheung stated that “they want many people to vote in order to prove there is no problem and everything is okay.” But we have to tell Beijing that this is not acceptable.”

Nathan Law, an exile activist and candidate in the primary elections, said to Reuters that the December 19 poll was a mere “selection from Beijing”.

The majority of the 153 candidates for the 90 seats are pro-Beijing or pro-Establishment figures. There is a small number of moderates.

Xia Long, a top Chinese official, said in recent statements that any “destabilizing force” should be stopped from running for office and that the election would be “positive.”

Lam, the leader of Hong Kong, said that democratic candidates were allowed to run as long as they are patriotic.