Tragically Mark Andrew Rendell died recently of a suspected heart attack.
Mark worked many jobs while living in Hong Kong for almost 30 years. For the last few he managed a Wanchai bar, creating a vibe that attracted a wide and eclectic mix of customers who happily made it their local.
bc offers our condolences to his family. RIP my friend.
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) issued a statement of concern regarding the arrest of 15 leading pro-democracy leaders yesterday. Here is the statement in full:
The international legal community is seriously concerned by the arrest of 15 veteran pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong on Saturday 18 April 2020. In what appears to be a further clampdown on civil liberties and democracy following the 2019 protests, which began over the introduction of a controversial extradition bill, those arrested today include senior figures in the pro-democracy movement. These include lawmakers, party leaders and lawyers such as the democratic politician and legislator, Martin Lee QC who was also involved in the drafting of the Basic Law, the media owner, Jimmy Lai, and the barrister, Dr Margaret Ng. In October of last year, Margaret Ng and Martin Lee were jointly awarded the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Award for their lifelong defence of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
The arrests are purported to be based on suspicion of organising and taking part in ‘unauthorised assemblies’ on 18 August, 1 October and 20 October 2019, pursuant to the Hong Kong SAR Public Order Ordinance. No explanation has been reported for the apparent delay between those protests and the timing of today’s arrests. The leaders of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement have long argued for their rights to peaceful assembly and protest to be exercised without the need for consent from the authorities.
The right to peaceful protest is protected under the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. As part of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy, the Hong Kong Basic Law guarantees freedoms that are not available to those in mainland China until 2047. Hong Kong residents are guaranteed the rights to ‘freedom of speech, of the press and of publication; freedom of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration’. Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”) provides that “[t]he right of peaceful assembly shall be recognised.” The Basic Law expressly preserves the ICCPR as applicable to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The State has a duty to protect and facilitate such protest, and the Public Order Ordinance must be implemented in conformity with Hong Kong’s obligations under the ICCPR.
Following growing concerns of eroding civil liberties and the rule of law in Hong Kong, the 2019 protests have been unprecedented in their scale and reach and have led to physical violence by authorities, as well as a regrettable violent response by a minority of demonstrators. Excessive crowd dispersal techniques have been used by the authorities, including the dangerous use of tear gas, water cannons, firing of rubber pellets, pepper spray and baton charges by the police to disperse pro-democracy demonstrations, and there is reliable evidence of violence upon arrest. No proper investigation into excessive force has taken place and indeed calls from the international community, including the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, have been rejected.
Today’s arrests demonstrate the continued assault on the freedom of expression and right to assembly in Hong Kong. Indeed, we are gravely concerned that the arrests of senior lawyers and legislators who set out to protect human rights in a non-violent and proportionate manner, and pursuant to both rights granted in both domestic and international legal frameworks, represent an assault on the rule of law itself. The United Nations Human Rights Committee has repeatedly expressed concern that charges of ‘unlawful assembly’ against peaceful protesters in Hong Kong risks violating human rights. The arrest of a prominent media owner also sends a chilling message to those whose journalism is vital to a free society.
It is critical that authorities do not use their powers to encroach on fundamental human rights, and it is vital that legal systems continue to protect citizens from any abuse of power which may otherwise be unseen during the COVID-9 crisis in which the international community is submerged.
We strongly urge the Hong Kong authorities to immediately release the 15 individuals arrested and drop all charges against them. Moreover, we call on the authorities to discontinue such politicised and targeted prosecutions immediately and urge the Hong Kong government instead to engage in constructive dialogue with the leaders of the pro-democracy movement to foster a climate in which their legitimate concerns over democracy and human rights can be met.
Horacio Bernardes Neto
President, International Bar Association
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC
Director, International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
Amanda Pinto QC
Chair, Bar Council of England & Wales
Schona Jolly QC
Chair, Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales
Saman Zia-Zarifi
Secretary General, Bar Human Rights Committee of England & Wales
Over the Easter weekend local singer Denise Ho, known as HOCC, live-streamed a free online concert to as she put it “Get together with everyone and cheer you with music.”
The two hour show was streamed live on youtube and facebook and has been uploaded to Ho’s Youtube channel.
Here’s the set list:
1.艷光四射 (2:49) 2.癡情司 (11:23) 3.天使藍 (19:26) 4.鋼鐵是這樣煉成的 (27:45) 5.詩與胡說 (36:24) 6.未來 (42:12) 7.張氏情歌 (49:14) 8.木紋 (59:37) 9.如果我們只剩一首歌的時間 (1:04:49) 10.忘 (1:15:13) 11.天然沖晒（1:21:41) 12.眼淚教我的事 (1:27:01) 13.螞蟻 (1:31:55) 14.如無意外 (1:35:42) 15.似是故人來 (1:43:42) 16.海裡睡人 (1:47:58) 17.圓滿 (1:55:47) 18.是有種人 (2:03:07)
If you enjoyed the concert you can find more about HOCC on her official website and here:
http://www.facebook.com/hocchocc http://www.instagram.com/hoccgoomusic/
http://t.me/hocchocc (Telegram)
Bertrand de Speville, 78 years, passed away March 30 after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Carol and children Guy and Clare.
Bertie was a key figure in sailing in Hong Kong in the late 1980s and 1990s. He was president of the Hong Kong Yachting Association (HKYA, now the Hong Kong Sailing Federation) from 1992-1995 and was largely responsible for creating the organizational structure in use today.
He was manager of the Hong Kong Olympic sailing teams which went to Seoul 1988, and Atlanta 1996, where HK windsurfer Lee Lai San won Hong Kong’s first and only gold medal in Olympic history.
Bertie was an active and popular International Judge and Umpire, officiating at many major sailing events, including the Olympic Games and America’s Cup. His quick legal mind was always effective in resolving rules questions, at ISAF (World Sailing) or at local regattas. He retired from Umpiring, and then from Judging some years ago, but returned to Hong Kong to serve as a jury member at the Flying Fifteen Worlds in 2013.
Bertie’s original family home was in Mauritius and he spent time in Africa and the UK before coming to Hong Kong to work in the Solicitor General’s office, becoming Solicitor General in 1991. In 1993, he was appointed as the head of the Independent Commission Against Corruption which he led until the handover after which he retired to the UK. He continued working in the anti-corruption area, providing advice to countries in Eastern Europe and Africa, in spite of his illness.
He sailed keenly in England, team racing with the ’Castaways’ while at London University. He arrived in Hong Kong with a red wooden Flying Fifteen, which did not survive the climate for long, but soon his new FF ‘Fflocci’ was regularly showing the fleet how to do it!
His common sense, good humour, and friendly personality will be dearly missed.
The Hong Kong government today (6 April, 2020) extended, until further notice, the entry restrictions on non-Hong Kong residents arriving by plane.
All transit at Hong Kong International Airport will continue to be suspended until further notice.
The entry restrictions, which came into effect on the 25 March 2020, were announced by the Government on 23 March with the aim of reducing imported cases of the Wuhan virus know as COVID-19:
• All non-Hong Kong residents coming from overseas countries and regions by plane will be denied entry to Hong Kong;
• Non-Hong Kong residents coming from the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan will be denied entry to Hong Kong if they have been to any overseas countries and regions in the past 14 days;
• All transit services at Hong Kong International Airport will be suspended;
• All travellers coming from Macao and Taiwan, including Hong Kong and non-Hong Kong residents, will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine, which is the same as the arrangements for people entering Hong Kong from the Mainland.
The entry restriction and suspension of transit services at the airport were at the time to be implemented tentatively for 14 days, ending on 7 April, 2020.
Exemptions to the above restrictions include:
• Crew members of aircraft who need to commute to and from foreign places in performance of necessary duties or crew members of goods vessels;
• Government officials carrying out government duties including personnel of consular posts;
• Personnel engaged in anti-epidemic work endorsed by the HKSAR Government;
• Spouses and minor children of Hong Kong residents.
All entrants to Hong Kong must complete 14-days compulsory quarantine on arrival.
Read the government press release https://t.co/WW8NKVLBqB?amp=1
More information can be found on the government’s dedicated website www.coronavirus.gov.hk
The Hong Kong government today issued a Red Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for 26 European countries. The alert warns against all non-essential travel to countries in the Shengen area, the part of Europe covered by an open-border travel arrangement.
“In view of the health risks arising from the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Europe, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (March 13) issued the Red Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) on certain European countries (Schengen Area), including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Principality of Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.”
The Red OTA urges members of the public planning to travel to the aforementioned countries to adjust travel plans and avoid non-essential travel.
After returning to Hong Kong travelers should consult a doctor promptly if experiencing a fever or other COVID-19 symptoms, and wear a surgical mask until 14 days after returning to Hong Kong.
More information can be found on the government’s dedicated website www.coronavirus.gov.hk
When it comes to coronavirus news / COVID-19, there is a mass of misinformation and charlatans looking to profit from the suffering of others.
Many of the media sources you might trust are behind paywalls – journalism after all costs money – with limited free articles.
However because of the seriousness and global nature of the pandemic many news outlets have made their COVID-19 news free to access. Here is list of major outlets with free updates and articles:
The New York Times is offering its COVID-19 coverage for free.
The Washington Post has a free email newsletter for coronavirus-related news. All articles linked in the newsletter are free.
The Los Angeles Times coronavirus liveblog is available for free.
The Wall Street Journal has created a free section for coronavirus articles.
The Atlantic is offering all coronavirus-related articles for free.
The Star is labeling free articles related to the coronavirus with a red “free digital access” label.
The Guardian has no paywall.
BBC has no paywall
STAT, which covers health and medicine, is offering its coronavirus coverage for free.
The Police announced a pilot e-Ticketing program today which digitalises the current hand-written process to enhance accuracy.
The “e-Ticketing Pilot Scheme” starts in Wanchai, Tseung Kwan O and Sham Shui Po police districts on 16 March, 2020 and will initially only apply to fixed penalty parking tickets.
Traffic wardens will use a mobile application to capture the data of offending vehicles, and print fixed penalty tickets with portable printers.
The accuracy of the new scheme will be enhanced with the addition of an encrypted QR code imprinted on vehicle licences to facilitate the extraction of a vehicle’s data.
No information was provided as to how the public’s privacy will be protected with a car owner’s personal information simply scannable from the vehicle licence whether they have committed an offence or not.
To issue a ticket, traffic wardens can scan the QR code or input the registration number manually to extract the particulars of the offending vehicle. The App will then imports information such as date, time and the issuing officer’s details whilst a GPS location is generated automatically.
The issuing officer can also take photos to capture details of the offence for evidential purposes before printing an e-ticket at scene.
It’s not mentioned how quickly the thermal printed paper will fade in the sun, or whether a physical or digital ticket will also be sent to the vehicle’s owner by post/email.
In digitalising the existing manual processes the intent is to reduce human error, eliminates the difference in handwriting interpretations and obviously generate more revenue.
One can only hope that in making the ticket issuing process quicker and easier that all offending vehicles will be targeted. Rather than the selective ignoring of many illegally parked vans and cars. An this might, just might reduce congestion caused by illegal parking.
