The Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit (FNF), a German think tank, has announced that the National Security Law in the harbor threatens foreign organizations in the harbor, and to protect employees and partners from security risks. The decision to close the Hong Kong office. This is the first time a foreign organization has ended its work in Hong Kong due to the National Security Law, and it is a sign that the exodus has expanded from business organizations such as technology firms to think tanks in civil society. The Foundation expects that many local and foreign dissidents and democrats will continue to leave Hong Kong.
In a press release issued yesterday evening (August 16), the foundation noted that a staff member had resigned for personal safety reasons after the National Security Law went into effect, and that a wave of arrests on August 26 had affected a long-time partner of the Naumann Foundation. The announcement did not disclose the name of the partner, but that day police arrested Democratic Party lawmakers Lam Cheuk-ting and Hsu Chi-fung and 16 others in connection with last year’s “7.21 Incident” and “7.6 Restoration of Yuen Long Park” in Yuen Long.
The Foundation notes that Hong Kong has experienced an unprecedented wave of arrests, violence and repression by Chinese authorities since the Hong Kong National Security Law took effect in July. The law imposes harsh penalties for crimes against national security such as secession, subversion of state power, terrorism, and collusion with foreign or foreign powers.
The Foundation believes that the Chinese government regularly targets foreign organizations and representatives of civil society, and that the current national security laws in Hong Kong are designed to prevent Hong Kong from cooperating with foreign organizations or individuals.
Karl-Heinz Paqué, President of the Foundation, said that it was “very unfortunate” that the office had to be closed, but that in the current climate of fear and constant threat in Hong Kong, where people who defend democracy and freedom are in danger, the Foundation could not and did not want its employees and partners to take the risk of having to stop working in Hong Kong and part ways with four of its employees.
For example, the New York Times moved its digital news center from Hong Kong to Seoul, South Korea, and Naver Group, the parent company of the South Korean technology giant Line, moved its Hong Kong-based backup server for users’ personal data to Singapore, but closed down its entire think tank, the Naumann Foundation being the first to do so.
The Naumann Foundation, named after Friedrich Naumann, the president of the German parliament, is dedicated to promoting liberal and political education with the goal of enabling all people to live in freedom and dignity, according to the foundation’s website. The Foundation has 28 offices in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, of which 5 are in Asia (South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines).
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