HONG KONG — Four student leaders from
Hong Kong's top university
were arrested on Wednesday for "advocating terrorism", police said.
اضافة اعلان
A controversial student union statement following a lone wolf attack on a
police officer last month sparked the arrests, according to senior
superintendent Steve Li, from the city's national security police unit.
"Four men aged between 18 and 20 were arrested today, they are members
of the student union and the student union council," he told reporters.
On July 1, a man stabbed and wounded a police officer in a busy shopping
district before taking his own life in what authorities called an act of
"domestic terrorism".
Shortly afterwards, the University of Hong Kong's (HKU) student union
released a statement expressing "deep sadness" over the attacker's
death and appreciation for his "sacrifice".
The statement proved hugely controversial even as the union retracted the
statement and apologized for its wording.
"It beautified, rationalized, glorified terrorism and an indiscriminate
attack and encouraged suicidal acts," Li told reporters on
Wednesday.
Three of those arrested will be taken to court on Thursday after prosecutors
placed charges against them, legal sources told AFP.
Last month, police raided the buildings housing the union's offices, campus
TV station and student magazine.
HKU's management also banned the union's council members from campus.
Advocating terrorism carries up to 10 years in jail and is covered by Hong
Kong's national security law.
That law, imposed on the city last year by Beijing in response to huge and
often violent democracy protests two years ago, has quickly criminalized much
dissent.
It covers offences deemed as subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion
with foreign forces.
More than 130 people, including many democracy advocates, have been arrested
under the law — the majority for secession or subversion charges for expressing
their political views.
Terrorism charges are rarer.
The security law has been combined with an official campaign to purge Hong
Kong of any elements deemed "unpatriotic".
Over the past year, more than 30 professional and political groups have
disbanded following investigations by authorities.
On Wednesday the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, established to support
democracy protesters, became the latest to announce it was shutting down.
Pro-Beijing media singled out the group as a "fundraising platform
for rioters" saying it must be "eliminated".
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