Beijing, August 26: China ratcheted up its “intimidation tactics” of journalists, diplomats, and lawyers travelling to Hong Kong from the mainland in efforts to hold the gravest risk to the Chinese authority in more than ten years, as pro-democracy protests enter its 12th week.
Chinese state-run news agency on Sunday published a warning that its China’s “responsibility to intervene” in the civil unrest in the territory.
“Overall, it’s clear that all Hong Kongers should be cautious about travelling to the Mainland, where police have sweeping powers to detain individuals suspected of political activity on arbitrary grounds and with fewer safeguards against torture and mistreatment,” says Frances Eve, deputy director of research at Chinese Human Rights Defenders, an NGO based in Washington DC.
Simon Cheng, a 28-year-old Hong Kong resident and staff member of Hong Kong’s British consulate, was detained on August 8 by the Chinese authorities, accused of breaking public security law, according to Al-Jazeera news reports.