Letters from the Imprisoned: Chow Hang Tung (2024)

• 68%
• 2024
• Paul Lee

Since September 2021, Chow Hang-tung, Vice-Chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (the Alliance), has been held at Tai Lam Centre for Women, either serving a prison sentence or in custody on remand. Prolonged pretrial detention is a new normal under the National Security Law. On the eve of the 35th anniversary of June 4th, the Hong Kong national security police, for the first time after the enactment of Article 23, cited the National Security Law to arrest 8 people, accusing them of using "a certain upcoming sensitive date" to continuously post messages inciting hatred against the central and SAR governments. The arrested individuals include the imprisoned Chow Hang-tung. This barrister, still in prison, has received at least five international human rights awards during her period in custody. And how is her own human rights situation in prison? How does she think about the rule of law in Hong Kong?