Hong Kong police arrested pro-democracy activist Tam Tak-chi, on Wednesday. Ideally, he should be competing for a seat in the legislature in September’s election. The police arrested on him on the grounds of incitement to join the unlawful assembly.
Tam, 47, is the vice-president of the People’s Power Party and a former radio presenter. He won an unofficial primary poll conducted by the opposition to elect a candidate for the legislative council.
Meanwhile, the arrest came days after Beijing authorities and Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam warned against the primaries. They called it unconstitutional that could break a new national security law.
Furthermore, the police linked the incitement to participate in an illegal assembly charge to a protest in January. It, however, did not specify what the charges for seditious intent and unrest in public spaces relate to.
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Also, Tam said that they were swearing at the police and shouting, “Liberate Hong Kong! Revolution of our times, in January. A slogan ruled illegal by the government earlier this month under the current legislation, which is not retroactive. The legislation of the British Colonial era covers sedition.
Tam shouted the slogan again when he was addressing reporters.
Hong Kong freedom
The Beijing bill passed last month penalizes what China broadly describes as subversion, rebellion, terrorism, and collaboration with international powers to life in jail.
Critics of the law worry that it will destroy the wide-ranging freedoms offered to the territory when it came back to Chinese rule in 1997. Supporters say that it will bring stability after the frequently-violent anti-government and anti-China unrest last year.
Shortly after, Beijing tagged the weekend primary vote illegal. Also, former Hong Kong lawmaker Au Nok-hin said that he was withdrawing as a poll organizer due to allegations.
On Thursday, another organizer, Andrew Chiu of the Democratic Party, said that his work is complete. Therefore, he would no longer help coordinate the electoral campaign of the Legislative Council.
