HONG KONG (AP) – The Hong Kong government is arbitrarily labeling pro-democracy organizations as foreign agents, making them subject to prosecution under a tough national security law, a leader of the group that has organized the city’s annual Tiananmen candlelight vigils said Tuesday.
Chow Hang-tung, vice chair of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, made the comment shortly before the group submitted a letter to police rejecting their request for details of the alliance’s operations and finances.
“It’s a senseless, arbitrary labeling by the government right now,” Chow said. “That’s just wrong.”
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said earlier Tuesday that law enforcement agents may request information from suspected foreign agents or foreign political organizations in accordance with the law.
“If someone openly says that they will flout the law, they can’t call themselves a civic society group,” Lam said.