Democracy makes China's dictator cry.

World Alert Jan. 5, 7:46 p.m. EST

Dozens of pro-democracy figures arrested in Hong Kong in biggest sweep under China’s national security law About 50 people were detained in the early-morning operation, according to local media, and accused of subverting state power — punishable by life in prison. Read more

HONG KONG — Dozens of Hong Kong pro-democracy politicians and activists were arrested Wednesday under the national security law, rounded up in an early morning sweep in the most far-reaching and chilling use of the Beijing-imposed law since it was passed last June.
Local media reports suggest that as many as 50 were detained, accused of “subversion,” a crime punishable by life in prison under the security law. Dozens posted news of their arrest to their Facebook or other social media pages, including former pro-democracy lawmakers and many of Hong Kong’s most recognizable democracy activists.

A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong police said they could not immediately provide information on the arrests.

Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, one of the main opposition parties whose members recently resigned en masse from the legislature over the ouster of their pro-democracy colleagues, said their alleged crime was participation in an informal election last July. The election was a primary for pro-democracy candidates, a contest to determine who would run in legislative elections scheduled for September. More than 600, 000 people took part in the primary, which saw the rise of a younger generation of political leaders, including Joshua Wong who won in his district. Wong, who is serving a prison sentence, was also charged with the dozens of others on Wednesday.

The legislative council elections were subsequently canceled by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, citing the pandemic.

According to local media, Robert Chung, an academic who runs public opinion polls that helped facilitate the primary, was also arrested.

The arrests are reminiscent of the shock-and-awe tactics used to round up critics of the Chinese Communist Party at other times in history, and indicate that Beijing will not hold back from using the new national security law or other tools to neutralize Hong Kong’s political identity and quash all dissent. Hong Kong, which was promised autonomy, preservation of its freedoms and basic rights until at least 2047, has seen a reconfiguration of its major institutions over the past year, including the media, schools and the legislature, which is now devoid of any opposition.

The security law, passed the day before the anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to the mainland last year, has already been used to punish several others, including billionaire media tycoon Jimmy Lai. The law was passed by Beijing and imposed on Hong Kong, skipping the city’s usual political processes, and punishes broadly worded crimes like “secession,” “terrorism,” “collusion with foreign forces” and “subversion” with up to life in prison. At the time the law was passed, authorities promised it would be used selectively, against a very small group of people.

Several arrested and charged under the law have been denied bail, meaning the dozens of pro-democracy activists arrested Wednesday could be held indefinitely until formal hearings, which could take weeks.