wait for this reason necessary measures
must be taken to improve the election
system of the Hong Kong special
administrative region eliminate hidden
dangers and risks in the system and
mechanism and ensure that Patriots are
the main body of Hong Kong people
administering Hong Kong
in Hong Kong that process has already
begun most recently with 47
pro-democracy politicians and activists
detained on trumped-up charges of State
subversion simply for holding primaries
during last year's local elections
this is
families collapsed in tears after
Marathon hearing as 47 opposition
Figures were remanded in custody for
subversion an unprecedented scene
Thursday in Hong Kong
many our election hopefuls of the
pro-democracy camp targeted under the
National Security Law because they took
part in an unofficial primary last year
this is not the only political bombshell
to hit Hong Kong in recent days Beijing
is overhauling the Electoral rules of
his most democratic City to only allow
so-called Patriots to run from public
office new power will also be given to a
comedy controlled by Beijing to swing
candidacy for the legislature
carry low and out position District
councilor bitters probation predecessor
in 2019. his Camp won nearly 90 percent
of the seats and had hoped to sustain
the protest movement
but now he says running for elections is
no longer an option for him
the expression could be bolder in the
past but now we have to screen the words
on our posters
politicians are more anxious and fearful
no one would have imagined that today
we're not just facing disqualification
but also life imprisonment because of
our belief
the district council is the only full
democracy in Hong Kong it sounds nearly
10 percent of the seats in the
legislature and a committee that picks
the chief executive beijing's plans
would upend all that Hong Kong
authorities also plan to require all
district councilors to pledge loyalty to
the mainland
that will disqualified elected officials
like Lester Sean who was among those
detained he forced his opinion right
before the hearings
it's a wide-ranging revenge on all Hong
Kong people and the pro-democracy camp
extensive repression but as this is
where we started the movement do we
necessarily have to surrender I hope
everyone has the same answer as me no
even before these reforms become reality
opposition politicians have routinely
been hindered in their work carilo is
filing a lawsuit against the authority
which withheld his allowance because his
office was one of the polling stations
in last year's primary he said that this
is just the tip of the iceberg
The Authority changed the Electoral
rules to ensure their Victory and
marginalized us
but even if we can't win many seats we
should still strive for every single
chance to fight for resources and
positions to speak out and serve the
community
Hong Kong's Democratic opposition is
prepared for heavier blows ahead they
carry low and others are not about to
throw in the towel
joining us is activist and pro-democrat
Nathan law now in London these days
Nathan there's no other recourse is
there a creative way for these
politicians to represent the people of
Hong Kong now
um well for now I think uh after the
reform proposal post by the Beijing
government
um the Hong Kong the whole electoral
system has moved back a big step back
work and become much more autocratic
even more autocratic than the one in
1998 the very first election after The
Hangover so it's extremely worrying
now we're in the middle of a global
pandemic but do you think given all
that's happened to Hong Kong we'll ever
see Mass protests in the streets again
well definitely I I think uh they just
uh psychos in uh social movement and no
matter how Sophia the suppression is
there will always be opportunity for
people coming out and March again it's
just about right timings and right
opportunity so for me I have my faith on
Hong Kong people it's just the time that
we have to stick together and to try to
well go through this very difficult
period of time
what worries you the most that Beijing
hasn't but might and can do to Hong Kong
well I think most of our
worst worries have become realities
um they are implementing the National
Security Law which have already crushed
our freedom of speech and many other
freedoms and also they're reforming the
election so that only uh the the the
so-called Patriots that the party allow
uh recognize can be allowed
um to be involved in election so these
are worse scenarios and we are
definitely facing it
and of course you're in the UK what are
you focused on and working on these days
from London
of
international support and channel and
Hong Kong people's message to the world
especially under the National Security
Law if you are in Hong Kong and you
conduct interviews to foreign Medias
that criticize the Beijing government or
proposing any policies that the world
could hold them accountable then you are
submitted to the National Security Law
and you may lock in jail for months or
even for years so for me I need to fill
in that Sports and try try to speak up
for Hong Kong people and talk the
demands that are genuinely representing
them but they are not allowed to do so
in Hong Kong
Nathan law thank you so much for joining
us
thank you so much