鄒幸彤 – 獄中信 ｜讓文字被看見｜Letters from the Imprisoned: Chow Hang Tung

Summary

The script details the plight of Chaang Tong, a Hong Kong barrister and activist, who has been detained under the National Security Law since September 2021. Despite her prolonged pre-trial detention and harsh conditions, including solitary confinement, she has won multiple international human rights awards and continues to write and express her views on the importance of rule of law and the challenges to democracy and freedom of speech in China. Her speeches from prison underscore the struggle for human rights and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppression.

Takeaways

• 📅 Since September 2021, Chaang Tong, Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, has been held at Tai Lam Center for Women.
• 🔒 Prolonged pre-trial detention is now common under the National Security Law.
• 🏆 Chaang Tong received at least five international human rights awards while in custody.
• 👮 She was arrested on June 4, 2021, and faced four charges related to unauthorized assemblies and national security law violations.
• 📝 Even in prison, she continued to write articles and letters, sharing her experiences and perspectives.
• 💪 Chaang Tong emphasizes the power of words as a form of resistance and maintains her determination to fight for justice.
• 🖋️ Despite the challenges, she finds joy in simple things and continues to support her fellow inmates.
• 👥 Chaang Tong received international recognition for her human rights work, including the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.
• 📃 She argues against the misuse of laws for political repression and highlights the importance of individual conscience and democratic institutions.
• 🎤 Chaang Tong's speeches and writings from prison stress the need for true freedom of speech, voting rights, and human dignity.

Q & A

Who is Chia Hang Tong?

Chia Hang Tong is the Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China and a barrister.

What charges has Chia Hang Tong faced under the National Security Law?

Chia Hang Tong has faced charges for taking part in and inciting others to take part in unauthorized assemblies in 2020 and 2021, refusal to provide information under the National Security Law, and incitement to subvert state power.

What has been Chia Hang Tong's experience in prison?

Chia Hang Tong has faced prolonged pre-trial detention, has been held in solitary confinement multiple times, and has had to write court statements and letters by hand due to lack of access to a computer. Despite these conditions, she has continued to write and share her thoughts.

How has Chia Hang Tong continued her advocacy while in prison?

Chia Hang Tong has continued her advocacy by writing letters and articles, voicing her opinions, and sharing her experiences despite the harsh prison conditions.

What are some of the international human rights awards Chia Hang Tong has received?

Chia Hang Tong has received at least five international human rights awards, including the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

What challenges has Chia Hang Tong faced in writing while in prison?

Chia Hang Tong has faced challenges such as limited space, lack of a proper writing desk, and the interception of her letters. She often writes on the floor, using a plastic table and leaning against the bunk bed.

What personal joys does Chia Hang Tong find while in prison?

Chia Hang Tong finds joy in simple things such as seeing a beautiful tree, enjoying warm sunlight, observing a cat, and participating in weight loss exercises with her cellmates.

What penalties has Chia Hang Tong faced for violating prison regulations?

Chia Hang Tong has faced penalties such as solitary confinement for sharing food or possessions with fellow inmates, hoarding letters, and other minor infractions.

What was Chia Hang Tong's perspective on the term 'National Security' in her speech?

Chia Hang Tong argued that the term 'National Security' has been expanded and used to justify indefinite pre-trial detention and suppression of dissent. She emphasized that peaceful protests and freedom of speech have been increasingly restricted.

What does Chia Hang Tong's case illustrate about the current state of human rights in Hong Kong and China?

Chia Hang Tong's case illustrates the severe restrictions on human rights and freedom of expression in Hong Kong and China, where laws are used to suppress dissent and punish activists under the guise of national security.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Chia Hang Tong's Imprisonment and Awards

Since September 2021, Chia Hang Tong, the Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, has been held at Tai Lam Centre for Women. Her prolonged pre-trial detention under the National Security Law is noted. Despite her imprisonment, she has received five international human rights awards. Chia Hang Tong was arrested on June 4, 2021, and faces multiple charges, including incitement to participate in unauthorized assemblies and refusal to provide information under the National Security Law. She has continued her advocacy through letters from prison.

05:00

📜 Ongoing Challenges in Prison

While in prison, Chia Hang Tong faces difficult conditions, including limited writing space and the interception of her letters. Her physical health has deteriorated, and she has been placed in solitary confinement multiple times for minor infractions. Despite these challenges, she continues to write and advocate for human rights. Her situation highlights the harsh conditions under the National Security Law and the ongoing repression of dissent in Hong Kong.

10:01

📝 Chia Hang Tong's Advocacy Through Writing

Despite being imprisoned, Chia Hang Tong has written English speeches and received the Human Rights Award from the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe. She critically discusses the expansive and partisan use of the term 'National Security' and its impact on freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. Her writings highlight the suppression of dissent and the reinterpretation of universal values under the National Security Law.

15:01

🌐 International Reactions and Censorship

Chia Hang Tong's speeches and writings address the role of international tech companies in China's censorship system and the broader implications of China's actions on global human rights. She argues that compliance with Chinese laws by foreign companies contributes to a system of thought control and repression. Her advocacy continues to receive international recognition despite ongoing attempts to silence her.

20:03

📜 The Power of the Blank Page

In her acceptance speech for the Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, Chia Hang Tong emphasizes the significance of blank ballots and white papers as symbols of freedom and dissent. She criticizes the Hong Kong government's restrictions on voting and free expression. Chia Hang Tong highlights the importance of individual conscience and democratic institutions in safeguarding human rights and the law.

Keywords

💡National Security Law

The National Security Law is a legal framework implemented in Hong Kong by the Chinese government to address secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces. In the video, it is highlighted as a tool used to suppress dissent and impose prolonged pre-trial detention on activists like Chia Hang Tong.

💡Chia Hang Tong

Chia Hang Tong is a barrister and vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The video focuses on her imprisonment under the National Security Law, her activism, and her receipt of multiple international human rights awards while in custody.

💡Unauthorized Assembly

An unauthorized assembly refers to gatherings that have not received official approval. Chia Hang Tong was arrested and charged for taking part in and inciting others to participate in unauthorized assemblies in 2020 and 2021, highlighting the criminalization of peaceful protests under the National Security Law.

💡Prolonged Pre-trial Detention

Prolonged pre-trial detention is the extended imprisonment of individuals awaiting trial. The video discusses how this has become common under the National Security Law, exemplified by Chia Hang Tong's extended custody without trial.

💡Human Rights Awards

Human rights awards are recognitions given to individuals who have made significant contributions to defending human rights. Chia Hang Tong received at least five such awards during her detention, underscoring her ongoing commitment to activism despite her imprisonment.

💡Solitary Confinement

Solitary confinement is a form of imprisonment where an inmate is isolated from any human contact. The video mentions that Chia Hang Tong faced this punishment multiple times, including a severe 18-day period, highlighting the harsh treatment of political prisoners.

💡Franco-German Prize for Human Rights

The Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law is awarded by the governments of France and Germany to individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to human rights. Chia Hang Tong received this award in December 2023, emphasizing international recognition of her efforts.

💡Literary Inquisition

Literary Inquisition refers to the suppression of dissenting voices through the control of written expression. Chia Hang Tong's experience of writing from prison under severe restrictions reflects this concept, as her words became powerful tools of resistance.

💡Blank Ballot and White Paper

Blank ballot and white paper symbolize silent protests against oppressive regimes. In her acceptance speech for the Franco-German Prize, Chia Hang Tong used these symbols to illustrate the power of dissent even in restricted environments, like the fake elections in Hong Kong.

💡Great Firewall

The Great Firewall is China's extensive internet censorship system that restricts access to information. Chia Hang Tong's speech mentions this as a violation of rights to information and expression, demonstrating the broader context of state control over free speech.

Highlights

Since September 2021, Chia Hang Tong, Vice Chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance, has been in custody under the National Security Law.

Chia Hang Tong has received at least five international human rights awards during her period in custody.

She was arrested on June 4, 2021, for taking part in and inciting others to take part in unauthorized assemblies.

Chia Hang Tong was granted bail in August 2021 but rearrested in September and has been in custody since.

She continues to write extensively from her prison cell, despite the limited space and resources.

Chia Hang Tong finds joy in simple daily activities, even in prison, such as observing a cat named Manman and exercising with cellmates.

Her writings emphasize the importance of finding meaning and happiness in small achievements and acts of kindness.

Chia Hang Tong has faced multiple instances of solitary confinement for minor infractions, such as sharing food and toiletries with fellow inmates.

She discusses the irony of receiving human rights awards while being imprisoned under laws that suppress dissent.

Chia Hang Tong's speeches highlight the expansive and partisan use of the term 'national security' to justify indefinite pre-trial detention and suppress peaceful protests.

Her writings critique the reinterpretation of terms like 'freedom of speech' and 'peaceful assembly' to restrict civil liberties.

She draws parallels between current events and historical examples of authoritarianism, such as Václav Havel's green grocer story.

Chia Hang Tong emphasizes the power of individual conscience and the need for democratic institutions to safeguard the law's dignity.

She argues that China's Great Firewall and extensive censorship system violate the rights to information and expression of billions.

Chia Hang Tong's acceptance speech for the Franco-German prize for human rights underscores the importance of freedom to express individual thoughts and choices.

Despite being punished for her writings, Chia Hang Tong continues to advocate for human rights and democracy from within her prison cell.

Transcripts

[Music]

since September 2021 chaang Tong Vice

chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in

support of patriotic Democratic

movements of China has been held at

thailam Center for Women either serving

a prison sentence or in custody on

remand prolonged pre-trial detention is

a new normal under the National Security

Law this Barrister still in prison has

received at least five international

human rights Awards during her period in

custody

part of the

[Music]

[Applause]

job on 4th of June 2021 CH Tong was

arrested she was subsequently brought to

court on four separate

charges for taking part in and inciting

others to take part in an unauthorized

assembly in

2020 and inciting others to take part in

an unauthorized assembly in 2021 for the

alliance's alleged refusal to provide

information under the National Security

Law and for the alleged involvement of

the alliance in incitement to subvert

stayed power four cases in

total now in jail it seems to me that

the only thing I can do is to turn into

a

columnist this is an interpretation of

chia hang Tong's voice on 12th of July

2021 she publicly released her first

letter from

prison it appears that my career as a

barrister must take a temporary pause

just as I said before leaving as long as

there is a breath left in me I will

fight to the end in the coming years

even if I can't be with you physically I

can still be rebellious with words this

is a kind of literary Inquisition in

such an era words might be the kind of

weapon that is nothing less powerful

than

demonstration she was granted bail and

released in August 2021

but was then rearrested in September and

has been in custody ever

since even in prison she has never

stopped

writing the challenge of writing lengthy

articles in a prison cell is the limited

space a small room with only a plastic

table and no chair surprisingly I

discovered the floor in front of the

door is the optimal writing spot it's

the closest point to the outside where

the fan is located making it the coolest

spot in the

cell the floor serves as a makeshift

desk allowing me to spread out the

judgments read and write without

worrying about Pages being blown off the

bed and I can lean against the pillar of

the bunk bed for a ready-made back

rest she sits on the floor like this

writing her practical guide for

prisoners

what truly brings happiness to me it's

the Simplicity of life's little Joys

seeing a beautiful tree in the morning

reving in the warm sunlight during

airing out or observing manman taking a

nap in the afternoon yes that cat even

taking part in weight loss exercises

with my cellmates in the evening all

these bring joy to me perhaps it's the

gift of having a simple mind or maybe

happiness is a skill that that can be

cultivated over

time meaning this appears to be the

magical word the very root of both

happiness and

unhappiness the cleaning lady might feel

that scrubbing the toilet until it

shines is a success Copus might find

meaning and joy in finding the perfect

path up the mountain each day setting

goals in daily life and tasks and

finding a sense of achievement seems to

be one of the shortcuts to discovering

meaning

I always remind myself that in a place

where tears are already abundant I must

choose laughter and treat those around

me with kindness to smile freely is a

choice within this confined Freedom

within a system that compels wrongdoing

my only concern is that laughter might

bring about laugh

lines after a year in prison Chia hang

Tong continued to be held in custody on

charges under the National Security Law

specifically for the accusations of

incitement to subvert state power

related to her involvement with the

alliance while in prison she

persistently voiced her opinions through

letters however these Dynamics have

slowly started to change friends have

noted that chiao hang Tong lost

significant weight during her time in

prison and the physical toll was evident

in calluses on her hands from extensive

writing

without access to a computer and unable

to go online she had to handwrite Court

statements and

letters however over the past year many

of the letters have gone missing

frequently or been

intercepted in October 2023 her fiance

on the mainland let it be known that he

hadn't received any letters from chiao

for several months

the most recent photos of chaang Tong

were taken in June 2023 when she

attended a hearing at the court of final

appeal as she got out of the prison

vehicle and entered the court

correctional officers used briefcases to

hide her but she managed to peek through

the Gap revealing a smile a fleeting

moment that was captured by the news

photographers after that the officers

pulled up a huge black cloth living no

gaps

anymore chiao hang Tong's face words and

updates all have become more and more

elusive to the public

eye over more than 6 months she was

placed in solitary confinement every

month as a form of

punishment since June 2023 she has

consistently been accused of violating

prison

rules according to records kept by her

friends and family she faced penalties

on nine occasions in the second half of

2023 these included an incident where

Tang Tong was found sharing peanuts with

a fellow inmate violating prison

regulations that prohibit the sharing of

food or

possessions she was punished with 3 days

of solitary

confinement on another occasion she

shared a piece of Ginger with someone

resulting in a 7-Day pan y there was

also an instance where she shared

shampoo resulting in another 3-day

punishment in mid December after

receiving the Franco German prize for

human rights and the rule of law she was

accused of hoarding too many letters

violating prison

regulations she then faced a severe

penalty of 18

days according to the United Nations

standard minimum rules for the treatment

of prisoners disciplinary sanctions

should never develop into torture or

inhuman treatment prolonged solitary

confinement for more than 15 consecutive

days is specifically

prohibited according to rough estimates

by Chow's friends and family she was

kept in solitary confinement in the

so-called water and rice cell for total

of 78 days in the second half of 2023

the correctional services Department's

response to us was that they would not

comment on individual

cases her friends jokingly call her the

queen of the water and rice

cell on one occasion a friend asked her

why do you always Break The Rules by

sharing things with

others she explained that some fellow

inmates don't have family members

providing supplies and the shampoo she

shared was merely a

leftover she thought these were only

pretexts used to accuse

her in October 2023 chia's friends

reported what she

said when I'm taken to the solitary cell

the combination of the stifling Heat and

the uncertainty about events in the

outside world is the most unbearable can

you imagine it's like cutting off my

connection with all of you and with Hong

Kong

chiao told them how lucky she felt just

to be moved to a different

cell I've been relocated to another room

it's much better now with a fan outside

finally I can get a few more hours of

sleep but this isn't something that can

be improved on an individual basis there

will be other people moving into the

room without a fan so improving the

overall environment is the most

important thing

she wrote two English speeches in the

prison there is a certain irony in a

prisoner of law receiving a prize given

by lawyers something must have gone very

wrong when one who pledged to serve the

law receives recognition instead for

allegedly breaking the

law in November 2023 along with Chinese

human rights activists XU xiong and ding

jashi

she received the human rights award from

the Council of bars and law societies of

Europe commending their courage

determination and commitments to defend

human rights and the rule of law in

China Chia hang Tong is the first Hong

Kong Barrister to receive this

award setting aside her usual humorous

style of writing she focused on a

serious topic entitled on rules based

order rules are rules

say the officials say the judges say the

prison Warden and the elephant in the

room snorts who made the rules

anyway when the Constitution mandates A

party's absolute leadership does

allegiance to the law require honoring

one party rule when a law is secretly

made and suddenly sprung on the populace

do you accept or reject its

Authority Chia hang Tong says that laws

propped up by unj power could bring

about the greatest nightmares even

becoming tools to suppress

descent in Her speech she discussed how

the meaning of the term National

Security has taken on an Ever more

expansive and partisan

meaning it is to the point that a common

citizen speaking her mind if her views

might contradict that of the party can

be considered a national security threat

justifying indefinite pre trial

detention criticism or even just sarcasm

are increasingly equated with the

stroking of

hatred the scope of what counts as

peaceful protests under the basic law

has been steadily compressed which led

to thousands of protesters who have not

themselves committed any act of violence

but were merely present at or near to a

scene where violence erupted being

sentenced to lengthy jail

terms terms such as National Security

freedom of speech and peaceful assembly

seem to have undergone new

interpretations it appears as though

Universal values are being replaced with

different

ideologies the party's narrative on the

term is swallowed whole in the name of

deference and entrenched through

successive case law such shift in

meaning and interpretation does not

occur overnight and thus is all the

harder to detect and resist each step

built on the last with plausible

sounding legal justification until step

by innocuous step we end up in a

completely unrecognizable place where

prisoners of conscience populate our

prisons protestations that our Judiciary

is still independent is really quite

beside the point the party simply has

little need of old style explicit

direction of individual cas

when political control already permeated

every poor of

society when the Independent Court is

voluntarily jailing denters and

destroying Civil Society why

[Music]

interfere changtong pointed out in Her

speech that the great firewall China's

extensive internet censorship system is

a massive infrastructure to wall of free

information a daily violation of the

rights to information expression and

communication of

billions because of the legal

justifications the system is

rationalized and even foreign tech

companies are

participating forced labor in shinjang

does not exist allegation of torture is

foreign

propaganda nothing happened on tianan

Square on that fateful day 34 years ago

as shown by the fact that I must speak

to you from prison and the fact that

most Chinese people would never know why

sujong and ding xiaoi are imprisoned or

even heard of their

names yet tech companies local and

foreign alike are untroubled by their

participation in the world's largest

attempt at thought control since they

can always say that they are merely

complying with legal

requirements law thus becomes an excuse

to calmer conscience numbing us to the

part we play in

evil chiao said that the International

Community is increasingly becoming part

of China's massive system for reshaping

reality it can propose the building of a

community with a shared future for

mankind while destroying every sense of

a community among its people producing a

most atomized

Society it urges respect for people

choice of their own system of governance

while never giving that choice to its

people when other countries sign on to

these seemingly benign initiatives of

China they should be aware that they are

not entering into genuine mutual

agreement of principles but a propaganda

drive to reshape

reality the power of these initiatives

has less in their content but more in

their number of

adherence the more people Echo these

formulations the the more Prestige to

the proposer the more credible is their

version of

reality the form of these words become

all important while the words themselves

lose meaning it is in fact Havel's story

of the green grosser repeated on a

global

scale VAV havl was the initiator of the

1989 Velvet Revolution and then the

first president of the Czech Republic in

his book The Power of of the powerless

there is a symbolic

example in an authoritarian

Society green grossers are required to

display official slogans on shop Windows

to demonstrate loyalty to the

system the green grossers decide not to

comply they choose not to live in a

false manner refusing to empower the

system any

longer since the voice of conscience can

only come from within and cannot be

delegated nor centralized conscience has

power only when individuals have

power thus law as values is Possible

only when individuals have a share in

state power when each touched by the law

can judge it and mold it in turn in

accordance with his own conscientious

understanding of the Law's

values the building of democratic

institutions that alone can Safeguard

the Law's dignity is also a lawyer's

Duty which is why all three of us

receiving this prize today are jailed

for working for democracy in

China even when knowing that the laws we

served would likely condemn us for

sometimes confronting the law as it is

is the only way to respect the law as it

should be and the highest service a

lawyer can offer her fellow

men on 10th of December 20123

international human rights day the

governments of France and Germany

awarded the Franco German prize for

human rights and the rule of law to 12

individuals including Chia hang Tong

chiao published her acceptance speech on

15th of December titled blank ballot and

white paper recovering the essence of

our trampled rights when the world

celebrates international human rights

day the Hong Kong government mocks it by

holding a fake

election not only is there no meaningful

choice on the ballot people are not even

allowed to register their displeasure by

calling on each other to cast blank

votes yes inciting another to vote for

no one is a statutory crime in Hong

Kong here voting is meant to show only

approval not choice and a blank ballot

empty of content and hence pregnant with

possibilities is a most serious threat

to such show of

unanimity just as blank pieces of paper

can be a most serious threat to National

Security in

China for what are human rights but a

guarantee that each can have his own

piece of blank paper free to fill it in

with whatever one

pleases instead we find ourselves

confined to the ever narrowing Realm of

the approved and permitted allowed to

play only the roles designated by those

in

power for what is freedom of speech but

the right to form our own own words on

that blank page of ours instead we find

ourselves being forced to repeat

gibberish party speak in order to pass

exams to land a job or even just to

avoid

jail for what is the right to vote but

the right to make our own choice instead

we find our choice made for us in the

back room and voting reduced to a ritual

confirmation of the party's

will she argues that the recognition

that each has the right to his own blank

page is also a call to drop all

preconception and Prejudice about each

other a call to hold on to the sense of

mutual respect and equality in human

relationships without that blank page of

possibility each now holds a just piece

of the jigsaw designed from on high and

can only relate to specified others in

accordance with the shape and pattern

allocated to him the jigsaw might look

Grand and but it is also a sterile

object devoid of Vitality a state's

denial of the people's right is its own

invisibility cloak but in every white

paper in every blank vote in every

missing credit people have tried to

subvert even invisibility into a protest

into the purest assertion of Human

Rights and dignity

[Music]

during her detention chaang Tong

received at least five international

human rights

Awards each time she wrote the speeches

from prison each time she was punished

by being confined in the water and R

cell facing four walls alone with all

inmate privileges

revoked while her body is restrained her

voice may be silenced but her thoughts

remain free chiao hang Tong persists in

writing and thinking within her prison

cell a freedom that cannot be taken away

from

her for