Hong Kong, anti-government website blocked

Authorities claim that HKChronicles violated national security laws. Website managers: it is censorship; we will operate on another domain. Democratic field: fears for the freedom of information online. The authorities step up their crackdown.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews / Agencies) – Honk Kong authorities yesterday blocked an anti-government website, HKChronicles, citing national security reasons. The news was confirmed by the Hong Kong Broadband Network, one of the servers that hosted the site: it is the first time that online content has been blacked out under the draconian security law set up by Beijing.

The website managers immediately announced that they had purchased a new domain name in order to continue their business. HKChronicles has been targeted by censors for collecting information on the protests organized in 2019 by the anti-extradition movement. To help the Democratic protesters, it also revealed details of police officers and establishment supporters responsible for acts of brutality.

Observers note that while HKChronicles is banned, a site targeting pro-democracy activists and journalists continues to remain online. The democratic camp fears that the pro-Beijing executive wants to restrict free information on the web: a new blow for the citizens of the former British colony who are fighting to defend their democratic freedoms.

Recently, city authorities have intensified the repression. On January 14, the National Security Police arrested 11 personalities including the well-known lawyer Daniel Wong Kwok-tung, Democratic District Councilor and tenacious advocate for many young people arrested during the 2019 demonstrations.

On January 6, 1000 security policemen arrested 53 activists from the democratic world. Most were then released on bail the next day. According to many local and international observers, the security law is being used to eradicate democracy in Hong Kong.