Conflicts & War

Prominent pro-democracy activist Nathan Law flees Hong Kong

Beijing, 3 Jul (efe-epa).- Activist Nathan Law, one of the most prominent student leaders of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement and leader of the Demosisto political party, has left the former British colony for an unknown destination, he said on social media Friday.

“Hi this is Nathan. I have already left Hong Kong and continue the advocacy work on the international level. Based on risk assessment, I shall not reveal too much about my personal whereabouts and situation now,” Law told journalists in a message on a Whatsapp group.

Law, who had testified via videolink before the United States Congress on Thursday, during which he criticized the new national security law approved by China for Hong Kong, also explained his decision on microblogging site Twitter early Friday.

In one tweet, the young activist said he spoke at the congressional hearing about the “regime’s lawlessness” knowing well that his speech and appearance before the US Congress “would put my own safety in serious jeopardy given the circumstances.”

“No Hong Konger is under the illusion that Beijing has any intention to respect our basic rights and honor its promises to us,” he said in another message.

Law spoke about the reasons behind his decision to testify before the US Congress and added that his responsibilities “will only get heavier down the road.”

The young man, who had announced his intention to run in Hong Kong’s legislative elections in September, also did not reveal the place from where he testified before the US Congress, alongside fellow activist Brian Leung Kai-ping, who is in the US.

Leung was one of the demonstrators who stormed into the Hong Kong Legislative Council on July 1, 2019 and removed his mask inside the chamber.

Law, along with Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and other Demosisto leaders, announced on Tuesday that they were leaving their party, hours before the security law came into effect and shortly before the party itself announced its dissolution.

His last public appearance in Hong Kong was on Saturday at a forum on primaries to elect candidates for the September legislative elections.

Law was one of the most prominent leaders of the so-called “Umbrella Revolution,” a protest in the heart of the city that went on for nearly 80 days in 2014.

In 2016, when he was just 23 years old, he became the youngest person ever to be elected to Hong Kong’s legislature although he was excluded from it a year later in a controversial decision for not taking the oath properly.

EFE contacted Joshua Wong, who was Demosisto’s general secretary, on Friday but he declined to indicate whether he was still in Hong Kong or had also left the city. EFE-EPA

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