21.03.2023
Hong Kong’s National Security Department arrested Ho Chun-jen, the former chairman of the Stake Association, on Tuesday on charges of “obstructing justice.” Hong Kong media reported that Ho Junren was suspected of “interfering with witnesses and obstructing justice during bail.”
(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) The 71-year-old He Junren was the chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance and a former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council. For 30 consecutive years, the stake has held June 4 parades and candlelight rallies in Victoria Park.
In 2021, He Junren was charged with “inciting subversion of state power”. The following year he was released on bail on the grounds of health, but he was required to surrender his travel documents, not to leave Hong Kong, obey the curfew and report to the police station three times a week. Any crime or act that may be considered a violation of the National Security Law, or endangering national security under Hong Kong laws.”
On Tuesday (March 21), He Junren was arrested by the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police on suspicion of interfering with witnesses during bail.
Hong Kong media reported that the object of Ho Junren’s suspected interference was the family member of an important defendant in the “35+” primary election case of the pro-democracy camp.
The Hong Kong democrats proposed the “35+ referendum primary election plan” in 2020, hoping to win more than half of the seats in the Legislative Council election that year. On February 6, 2023, 47 people were charged with the crime of conspiracy to subvert state power under the “Hong Kong National Security Law” due to the “35+ primary election”. Prosecutors accused the democrats of using the fight for 35+ as a means to achieve the five major demands and “solicit speculation”, which eventually led to a government shutdown and Western sanctions on the CCP.
A total of 5 members of the Democratic Party were charged with the crime of “conspiracy to subvert state power” for the “35+” primary election case. The main representative law firm representing the case, He Xiewei Law Firm, has a close relationship with Ho Junren. He Junren is accused of interfering with the family members of the witnesses in custody in order to influence the testimony of the witnesses.
On March 9, Deng Yan’e, the former director-general of the Hong Kong labor organization “Trade Union”, was arrested by the Hong Kong police on suspicion of “colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security” while visiting her husband Li Zhuoren who was serving a sentence in Stanley Prison on Hong Kong Island. Li Zhuoren once served as the secretary-general of the “Trade Union”.
Hong Kong’s “Wen Wei Po” reported that Deng Yan’e left Hong Kong for the UK in September 2021, but returned to Hong Kong secretly earlier.
More than two years after the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, a large number of opposition figures have been arrested and imprisoned. Many political and civic organizations have announced their dissolution.
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