Most Canadians don't wake up to find agents from Canada's National Espionage Agency on their doorstep, but a former newspaper living in the Lower Mainland This is what the editor found. on Wednesday morning.
Former editor of Sing Tao Daily, Canada's largest Chinese-Canadian newspaper,Hong Kongdemocracy activist Victor Ho recently placed on the to-do list. Hong Kong security officials accused of violating Hong Kong's national security laws. }
British Columbia, two Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) officers return home. Officers arranged an in-depth interview with him later in the week, he said.
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Read More: ``I'm very safe. I have stated that my situation is a very serious danger, as they are aware of the common practices of .Therefore, they are advising me to take extra precautions."
Ho said he had never been formally contacted by the Chinese authorities informing him that he was under legal sanctions.
Ho joins group 1 Hong Kong activists announced in late July they were organizing elections for Hong Kong's "parliament in exile"
He said the move was to highlight the Chinese government's ongoing crackdown, which has severely restricted democratic rights in the region.
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"Currently, Hong Kong's Legislative Council is not democratically elected. It is controlled by a communist government," he said. I was.
"[We] want to make a fuss and even pressure the Hong Kong government, the Communist government, to treat Hong Kong people that way.
About A week later, Ho's name appeared in a press release from the Hong Kong Security Service.
notice stated that Mr Ho and the two “sternly condemned” the actions of others in forming parliament called a security breach.
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"Police spare no effort to follow the law to bring criminals to justice." warned.
"In order to avoid taking unnecessary legal risks, the Security Department will disassociate itself from individuals who violate Hong Kong's national security laws and the illegal activities organized by such individuals.
Read more: Canadian singer and activist Denise Ho arrested in Hong Kong along with three others The
law, imposed in 2020, prohibits what the Chinese government deems to be subversive and separatist activities.
It claims to retain global jurisdiction, particularly for dissent and criticism made in countries other than China.
Canada Suspends Extradition Treaty with Hong Kong 2020But two members of Congress are calling on the federal government to speak out and ensure Ho's safety.
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Addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie, East Vancouver MP Jenny Kwan and Edmonton Strathcona MP Heather McPherson The letter stated that the application of the law to Ho was a violation of his rights protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Read more: Hong Kong activist who held Tiananmen Square memorial rally sentenced to 15 months in prison
I have an opinion, but the key issues are: Here in Canada, we have something that we hold very dear: charter rights," Kwan told Global News in an interview. , the right to freedom of association, the right to our beliefs and thoughts, and the right to a free press.
Kwan said Ho had been targeted. Canada's soil due to the National Security Act, and she said she was genuinely concerned about how China might try to enforce it.
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The Canadian government needs to speak up about Ho and all other Canadians' right to free speech, she says.
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"Who else will I target tomorrow? Who else will be threatened? Will I be charged? Am I going to be put on the wanted list?" she asked. "Because I have been an outspoken critic of the National Security Law and the plight of the people of Hong Kong, and have been active advocates on their behalf."
I asked.
Ho, meanwhile, said he had no plans to scale back his activities and that China's move to criminalize him might actually draw more attention to his cause.
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He said he believed Canada would act to keep him safe, but he was worried about his friends and relatives abroad. The concern is my relatives in Hong Kong and mainland China, who may be subject to so-called harassment by certain people," he said.
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"They may have a tough life ahead."
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