Islam Times - Hong Kong rally held to remember Chinese dissident

Islam Times - Thousands of people have staged a march in Hong Kong to remember the late Chinese dissident and Nobel peace prize laureate Liu Xiaobo.

People took to the streets of central Hong Kong on Saturday night, holding up candles and white roses and marching from the city’s commercial heart to China’s representative office during the evening vigil.

Liu, who was an internationally renowned literary critic, writer, and human rights activist, died of advanced liver cancer while in custody last week despite Chinese medical efforts to save him.

The 61-year-old Liu was jailed by Chinese authorities in 2009 for “inciting subversion of state power.” He has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 for “human rights” activities in China.

Liu had for decades been involved in anti-government campaigns in China.

His death came a day after four lawmakers were disqualified for membership at Hong Kong’s parliament. The four lawmakers were accused of modifying their oaths of office as a sign of protest to Beijing during a swearing-in ceremony in October 2016.

Since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing has been walking a fine line for the administration of the city under the formula of “one country, two systems.”

Hong Kong’s legislative, executive, and judiciary bodies are separate from and independent of China, and Beijing only maintains authority in defense, foreign affairs, and constitutional disputes.