Arrested in Hong Kong a fifth activist who claimed the self-determination of the region

July 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Hong Kong Police have arrested this Friday a fifth activist belonging to the Demosisto political organization, which advocated self-determination for the region and announced its dissolution after the entry into force three years ago of the national security law imposed from Beijing and criticized by opponents and organizations defending Human Rights.

The 24-year-old was arrested at the city’s airport after four other anti-government activists and also former members of this organization were arrested this week. Among them is a former head of the group, Ivan Lam Long Yin, and the five are accused of conspiring to collaborate with foreign forces and perpetrating potentially seditious actions, according to information in the newspaper ‘South China Morning Post’.

“The investigation reveals that this last detainee was suspected of having links with the people arrested on Wednesday,” the police said in a statement. Thus, he has identified the subject as Wen Wei Po, who would also have been part of Demosisto.

One of Demosisto’s founders is Nathan Law, one of eight activists for whom the Hong Kong authorities have offered a bounty and who currently lives outside of Hong Kong. The organization was dissolved in June 2020 to avoid possible reprisals for a law that has already resulted in the arrest of some 260 people, 161 of whom have been charged, according to an official count.

The Chinese government imposed the national security law as a result of the opposition protests that put the regime of the former British colony in check the previous year. Since the entry into force of this rule, at least 260 people have been arrested, two thirds of whom have been charged.