Ted Hui: No opposition in Hong Kong now
The former Hong Kong lawmaker says there is no free speech and no opposition in the city.
There is 鈥渘o opposition in Hong Kong,鈥� because they are all in prison, in exile or silenced, a former Hong Kong lawmaker has told the 麻豆社.
The changes brought in by China means there is no meaningful opposition in the city, Ted Hui said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no free speech, there鈥檚 no free press,鈥� the exiled legislator told the 麻豆社 Hardtalk鈥檚 Stephen Sackur.
Mr Hui said those democracy campaigners still left in the city should lay low. 鈥淚 really don鈥檛 want to see more and more young people going into jails.鈥�
Instead he called on the international community to continue to campaign for Hong Kong democracy as he did not believe the street protests that drew global attention in 2019 and 2020 would be possible.
The National Security Law came into force in Hong Kong in 2020 and targeted secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with punishments of up to life in prison. Beijing said the law was needed to bring stability to the city, but critics said it is designed to squash dissent.
Mr Hui is now in exile in Australia where he campaigns for democracy from abroad. He has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison in absentia for his involvement in the 2019 protests.
