HONG KONG: Several Hong Kong opposition leaders, including both sitting and former Legislative Council members, have been arrested, said Joshua Wong, a pro-democracy activist, on Sunday.
Taking to Twitter, he said, “Many prominent #HongKong opposition figures, including both sitting and former Legislative Council members, have just been arrested.”
He further said that the arrested people included Eddie Chu, Ray Chan, Fernando Cheung, Wu Chi-Wai, Andrew Wan, Helena Wong and Steven Kwok.
Meanwhile, 11 people accused of rioting during the major pro-democracy protest in August, last year — against the now draconian National Security Law imposed by the Chinese Communist Party on Hong Kong — have been acquitted of all charges by a Hong Kong Court.
Saturday’s District Court case focused on the pro-democracy protests that violent clashes around the junction of Hennessy Road and Luard Road on August 31, last year where protesters assembled in the area. The police had responded with tear gas and water cannon and arrested 142 people that day.
As of October 15, police have arrested more than 10,100 people and charged 2,285 of them, with 691 among them facing a riot charge.
The national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong criminalises any act of secession (breaking away from China), subversion (undermining the power or authority of the central government), terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with punishments of up to life in prison. It came into effect from July 1. (ANI)