Surveillance and Shrinking Space for Dissent

Today on State of the worldorld how Hong Kong's political opposition was silenced. Listening to State of the worldor from NPR bring you the day's most vital international stories up close where they're happening. It's Monday, july sixth. I'm Greg Dixon Last week marked two political anniversaries in Hong Kong It's been twenty nine years since control of the territory was handed over from Britain to China, ending colonial rule It's been six years since the Chinese government imposed its sweeping national security law on Hong Kong Among other things, it restricted free speech and increased government surveillance At the time, officials said the law would only affect a small number of people. Critics say it's transformed life in Hong Kong. Today, most of the city's political opposition has dissolved, been jailed, or gone into exile Reporter Danny Vincent takes us to Hong Kong to see how things have changed suppuorters gather outside a shuttered bookstore to mourn its closing They wear black, the color of Hong Kong's protest movement stand quietly looking at the metal shutters. Last week, Hong Kong media reported that owners were arrested for allegedly selling seditious material for many in Hong Kong Bookstore arrests are the latest sign that the space for public dissent continues to shrink. In an undisclosed location, veteran activist W flips through a local newspaper. They are not reporting anything political. Until six years ago, she's been active in Hong Kong's once vibrant protest movement. Now she asks NPR to only use the first initial of her name for fear of government reprisal July first has been a divisive day in Hong Kong's recent history While officials celebrated the anniversary of the city's return from British to Chinese rule in nineteen ninety seven activists like W We joined a large political march. But since Beijing imposed a controversial national security law onn june thirtieth in twenty twenty W says she began to notice something different in a lead up to the anniversary On july first, MPR saw Plainclothes men following W from a gathering across several stops on the subway and into a busy shopping district where small groups of activists gathered to quietly mark the anniversary of the handover. W. says on days like this, she feels she's under surveillance Hong Kong police told NPR that they take action in accordance with the law and made appropriate deployments due to the threat of public safety public order and national security. Do you know where the red lines are I don't know Because some people are still saying things that's against the government on Facebook, but nothing happened to them. Some only have Less than one hundred followers in Facebook and they got jailed No, I don't know the red line. That invisible line also haunts the city's streets on historically sensitive dates n june fourth, the anniversary of the nineteen eighty nine Yeenerman Square crackdown Mas visuals are a thing of the past On the anniversary in central Hong Kong Police quickly surrounded a lone protester His t shirt reads The sound of Silence Across town we meet Cee. He is retired but also a longtim activist Like W, he asks not to be named for fear of reprisal. It's not just a law, it's like the weapon. they weaponize it. I think it's more like to clam down the political opponents. They try to erase not only rewrite, erase history, like nothing happened before. Six years after Beijing's national security law triggered a diplomatic tip for tax Washington Hong Kong's leadership isn't backing down Powers continued to expand. This past June Chief executive John Lee. granted the unilateral authorityity to designate any criminal case a national security matter Here he is speaking to the press on june ninth. National seecurity. is a state resesponsibility The fact, the state dedicated some of the resesponsibility to Hong Kong SAR is not just a trust It's also a requirement. that we do this well It's an uncompromising stance that activists like W believe has fundamentally changed daily life Yes, they have restored peace in a sense that it is so quieted down the anger building up inside people is is growing More and more Some people chose to this placeays immigrate to other countries and some are still very angry inside and trying to do something H in their own way But she admits in today's Hong Kong cost of doing something their own way. higher than ever For MPR News, I'm Danny Vincent in Hong Kong That's the cit of the world for men people Thanks for listen