Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Dissidents an Easy Prey Under China's New Hong Kong Security Law, Observers
Say

Joyce Huang

   Under the guise of national security, the Chinese Communist Party is
   using newly promulgated security laws in Hong Kong to secure and extend
   its one-party authoritarian rule to the former British colony,
   observers said.

   The target of the party's coming political persecution? The city's
   pan-democrats and their like-minded activists, including media
   professionals, who have been critical of the Beijing government and
   seriously threatened the party's authority there, a prominent rights
   lawyer in China told VOA by phone on Wednesday.

   The lawyer spent time in prison after having been convicted of inciting
   state subversion.

   Party interests

   "Never is it about national interests; rather it's the interests of the
   (Communist) regime that the party is protecting," said the lawyer, who
   spoke on condition of anonymity because of the matter's sensitivity.

   "As long as you don't see eye to eye with Beijing, your comments on any
   Hong Kong affair may next lead you to jail time," he added.

   Pan-democrats in Hong Kong last won a landslide victory in November's
   district council elections, which will likely weaken the pro-Beijing
   camp's prospects in September's legislative elections and the 2022 race
   for the city's leader.

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