Hong Kong police arrested at least 14 veteran anti-Beijing lawmakers, activists and a media tycoon on Saturday on charges of joining unlawful protests last year calling for democratic reforms.
During a media briefing, Hong Kong Police Superintendent Lam Wing-ho informed that the arrested persons were 12 men and two women, between the ages of 24 to 81.
He explained that the charges concerned what authorities call "illegal assemblies" in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon on three occasions in August and October last year.
Among those arrested were 81-year-old activist and former lawmaker Martin Lee and democracy advocates Albert Ho, Lee Cheuk-yan and Au Nok-hin.
After the arrest, Lee was allowed to leave the police station and he briefly spoke to media about being charged for his involvement in the protests.
"I have no regrets for anything that I have done. I'm even proud, finally, I can be together with such a group of high-quality Hong Kong young people, and continue along this path to democracy, thank you," Martin told journalists about his involvement.
A number of lawmakers in Hong Kong were charged in February over their involvement in a mass anti-government demonstration on August 31 last year.
The protests in the semi-autonomous territory against proposed extradition legislation exposed deep divisions between democracy-minded Hong Kongers and the Communist Party-ruled central government in Beijing .
The bill — which would have allowed Hong Kong residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial — has been withdrawn, but the protests have continued for more than seven months, centred around demands for voting rights and an independent inquiry into police conduct.
US criticises arrests
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement condemned the arrests.
“Beijing and its representatives in Hong Kong continue to take actions inconsistent with commitments made under the Sino-British Joint Declaration that include transparency, the rule of law, and guarantees that Hong Kong will continue to ‘enjoy a high degree of autonomy,'" Pompeo said. He was referring to the 1997 handover of the former British colony to China, which promised the city would enjoy political freedoms not afforded mainland China.
Britain's Foreign Office also criticised the arrests, saying “the right to peaceful protest is fundamental to Hong Kong’s way of life and as such is protected in both the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.”
Beijing has accused the US and other Western countries of instigating the protests and insists they're China's internal affairs.
