400 professors appeal against threats to freedom of speech

Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Over 400 university professors have signed a petition demanding that freedom of speech be respected when speaking out against Beijing's "autocratic and political pressure" tactics.

The initiative is a reflection of the major dissent felt among the population of the former British colony, which since its reversion to China in 1997 sees itself as having little freedom and room to develop its own democratic processes.

This is has been confirmed over the last few weeks in Beijing, which has taken upon itself to approve and decide any political reform in the territory.

"We are concerned, since Hong Kong has ever the less room for freedom of expression. We are asking for respect for the truth and freedom of speech," the petition read in today's edition of the Apple Daily.

In the petition the professors also expressed their awe for the defection 3 radio program hosts – Albert Cheng King-hon, Wong Yuk-man and Allen Lee Peng-fei –who were pressured by Beijing to quit their posts for having spoken in favor of democracy in Hong Kong.

"It is clear that those in power have attempted to control citizens' participation in politics and to limit forums of political discussion," the petition read.

One of the three radio announcers, Allen Lee Peng-fei, explained today in from the Hong Kong parliament his reasons for leaving his radio program ( "A storm in tea cup") as well as his seat in the Chinese National People's Assembly as representative from Hong Kong.

Lee said that the pressure put on by Beijing had increased over the last month, right up until receiving a phone call from an ex-government official, whom he didn't want to name, threatening to harm his wife and daughter.

"This is the worse social conflict I've seen since I entered politics in 1978," he said.

Even the other radio hosts had started taking about the threats they received.  As  Hong Kong's Judge Margaret Ng said, "our freedom of speech is facing unprecedented threats."

Meanwhile United Communist Party Front leader, Liu Yandong, continues to visit Hong Kong. His trip to the territory seems to have calmed Hong Kong citizens' anger while speaking about the need for fostering "friendship, communication and understanding" between the island and the mainland. (ThR)

• hong
• kong
• china
• freedom
• of
• speech
• freedom
• of
• expression
• human
• rights
• education