Prof. Robert Chung, president of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, was taken from his home and subjected to a lengthy search of his offices. He is being investigated for “helping” his former vice president Chung Kim-wah, a pro-democracy activist (expatriate) against whom an arrest warrant has been issued. The authorities say they do not want to interfere with the Institute’s activities, but they have seized servers and boxes with documents.
Hong Kong () – After the press, pro-democracy associations and unions, it has now been the turn of a well-known sociological research institute in Hong Kong, which has also ended up in the crosshairs of the obsession with “security national”. Although (at least officially) not because of the activities of his company but “only” because of the suspicion that he has “provided help” to a person with an arrest warrant. This morning prof. Robert Chung, president and CEO of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI), was arrested at his home and taken to the company’s offices, where security forces conducted searches. Chung was later asked to return to the police station for checks.
In reference to what happened, Security Minister Chris Tang said the interviewer was being investigated to determine “whether he and his investigative organization provided assistance to a person who was on the run.” It is not difficult to imagine that the person he is talking about – whom Tang did not expressly name – is the former vice president of the Institute, Chung Kim-wah, former professor of Social Sciences at the Hong Kong Polytechnic, against whom the 24 last December, along with five other pro-democracy activists living abroad, an arrest warrant for pro-secession online propaganda. At the time, a reward of one million Hong Kong dollars was also offered for information leading to his capture.
Minister Chris Tang defended the raid on the Public Opinion Research Institute, saying the move “has nothing to do with the surveys the organization conducts,” adding that Chung “has not been arrested so far.” From the headquarters of the research institute, the security forces took several boxes with material and some computer servers.
Chung Kim-wah stopped collaborating with the HKPORI in April 2022 and already the day after the arrest warrant against him, Professor Robert Chung had clarified that since then contacts had been minimal. “The Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute operates within the confines of the law, carefully evaluating all legal implications before organizing events,” it stated, stating that it was confident that “there are no national security risks associated with its work.” ”. Since 2019, HKPORI had been established independently, separating itself from the University of Hong Kong, within which it had operated since 1991 under the name of the Public Opinion Programme. It has always defended the neutrality of opinion polls and has actively promoted data exchange and freedom of information.
Reacting to today’s measures, Chung Kim-wah posted on his Facebook page that he has not spoken to Robert Chung since he left Hong Kong in April 2022, except in a link during a press conference held from the HKPORI to end of that same month and to exchange greetings on the occasion of the holidays.
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