our views

IN CONVERSATION WITH BENEDICT ROGERS youtube series

Guests have included the father of Hong Kong’s democracy movement Martin Lee, cross-bench Peer Lord Alton of Liverpool, South Korea’s former ambassador for human rights Jung-Hoon Lee, Member of the European Parliament Miriam Lexmann, exiled Hong Kong activist Nathan Law, the Shadow Minister for Asia and Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, Hong Kong activist Joey Siu, Bill Browder, who pioneered the concept of Magnitsky sanctions, Hong Kong entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, the former Chair of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong Emily Lau, the President of the National Democratic Institute Derek Mitchell and the former British Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind.

Hong Kong Watch in the media

Hong Kong Watch is a leading voice on human rights in Hong Kong. Our reports and views have received significant media attention. In this page, we have collected examples of references to the work of Hong Kong Watch. 

• Aileen Calverley, Sing Tao Daily, 「香港監察」婦女節促聯合國 關注爭取民主遭捕香港女性

On Months-long Protest and Police Violence in 2019

• Sir Malcolm Rifkind QC, SCMP, ‘Beijing must respect High Court mask-law ruling in the interests of both Hong Kong and China’

• Benedict Rogers, TV interview on Al Jazeera

• Johnny Patterson quoted in SCMP, ‘UK foreign minister Dominic Raab to raise Hong Kong protests in talks with French and German counterparts’

• Benedict Rogers, TV interview on Euronews

• Benedict Rogers and Johnny Patterson, Time, ‘Now Is the Time for the U.S. to Stand With Hong Kong’

• Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Free Press, ‘Hong Kong’s gov’t thought it could bludgeon protesters into silence – they were wrong’

• Benedict Rogers, The Diplomat, ‘Hong Kong: The New Berlin Wall’

• Benedict Rogers quoted in Apple Daily, ‘英美政界炮轟警暴 羅哲斯︰港警將為犯下罪行負上責任’ (Paywall, in Chinese only)

• Catherine West MP, Politics Home, ‘The Hong Kong protestors are standing up for democracy. Britain must support them’

• Johnny Patterson quoted in Daily Mail, ‘Hundreds of Hong Kong protesters chant 'God Save the Queen' and 'We are British' while forming a human chain around the British Consulate - as the Lords prepares to debate granting UK citizenship to residents of the former colony’

On Political Prisoners

• HKW quoted in Apple Daily, ‘德議員聲援梁天琦長毛　轟港府侵人權’ (Paywall, in Chinese only)

Briefing on Public Order Ordinance

Coverage of Hong Kong Watch's briefing on Public Order Ordinance included:

• Local Press, ‘報告：香港嚴苛《公安法》令德國決定庇護港人’ (in Chinese only)

• The Stand News, ‘英國「香港觀察」：港府濫用公安法檢控，致德國庇護黃台仰李東昇’ (in Chinese only)

• Post 852, ‘香港觀察報告指港府濫用《公安條例》　成德批難民庇護主因’ (in Chinese only)

• France24, ‘Hong Kong leader slams Germany for giving asylum to runaway duo’

On Extradition Law

• Johnny Patterson, Financial Times, ‘Hong Kong’s reputation is threatened by extradition changes’

• CNN, ‘UK lawmakers warn journalists and activists could be extradited to China under new law’

• Financial Times, ‘Hong Kong: business must pay heed to the erosion of freedoms’

• Hong Kong Free Press, ‘Hong Kong’s new China extradition law may affect current UK rendition agreement, British politicians say’

• SCMP, ‘Britain voiced concerns over Hong Kong extradition law changes’

• ABC 17 News, ‘UK lawmakers warn journalists, activists of new extradition law’

• Apple Daily, ‘國會議員聯署動議英政府檢視修例 外交部斥「造文章」干涉內政’ (in Chinese only)

• Post 852, ‘英外相透露駐港領事已向李家超表關注　指港府諮詢期短難獲廣泛看法’ (in Chinese only)

• The Stand News, ‘英外相批港府諮詢不足　國會議員促研究對港英引渡安排影響’ (in Chinese only)

• Local Press, ‘英國會譴責，英政府擔憂，引渡條例’ (in Chinese only)

• Sing Tao Daily, ‘英國向港府表達關注 促全面廣泛諮詢’ (in Chinese only)

• Ming Pao, ‘英駐港領事表達關注　外交部：修例屬必要　他國無權干涉’ (in Chinese only)

On the Prosecution of Umbrella Movement Leaders

• Jung-Hoon Lee, WSJ, ‘China Cracks Down in Asia’s Once Freest City’

• Benedict Rogers, The Spectator, ‘It’s time for the UK to stand up to China over Hong Kong’

• The New York Times, ‘Hong Kong Umbrella Movement Leaders Are Sentenced to Prison’

• Lord Alton, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC and Benedict Rogers, The Times, ‘Times letters: Tory unity, Brexit and fractured Remainers’

• BBC, ‘Hong Kong 'Umbrella' protesters found guilty of public nuisance’

Report on Political Screening in Hong Kong

Coverage of Hong Kong Watch's report on the disqualification of candidates and lawmakers included:

• New York Times, 'Hong Kong's pro-democracy bloc loses seat in key election'

• Reuters, 'Hong Kong by-election seen as protest vote against China control'

• Associated Press, 'Election gauges Hong Kong's stomach for defying Beijing' (syndicated to Washington Post and other outlets)

• Hong Kong Free Press, 'Cancel Hong Kong’s by-election and reinstate disqualified lawmakers, UK-based watchdog urges'

• Radio Free Asia, 'Hong Kong's Debarring of Pro-Democracy Lawmakers Casts Doubt on Poll: Report'

Dr Kevin Carrico, Academic Freedom in Hong Kong

Coverage of Hong Kong Watch's report on academic freedom in Hong Kong included: 

• Kevin Carrico, South China Morning Post (op-ed), Hong Kong leader’s role as university chancellor must end to protect academic freedom

• Guardian, 'Academic freedom at risk at Hong Kong's universities, says report'

• Times Higher Education, 'Academic freedom in Hong Kong 'under threat''

• Insider Higher Ed, 'Report on Academic Freedom in Hong Kong'

• Hong Kong Free Press, 'Growing push to limit academic freedom in Hong Kong after Occupy protests, says new UK watchdog report'

Lord Ashdown, Report on visit to Hong Kong

Coverage of Lord Ashdown's trip report included: 

• Guardian, 'Human rights undermined in Hong Kong, says Ashdown'

• South China Morning Post, 'British peer dismisses Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam’s criticism of NGO report as ‘overreaction’'

• South China Morning Post, 'Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam blasts UK group’s ‘unfounded and unfair’ report on city'

• Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Free Press, 'Carrie Lam: Lord Asdhown's report is not foreign meddling, it just reflects Britain's commitment to the handover'

Other media mentions

Other notable coverage of the activities of Hong Kong Watch include: 

• The Telegraph, ‘China accused of secret lobbying campaign in UK against its critics’

• Daily Mail, ‘China slams British warning over Hong Kong freedoms’

• New York Times, 'Hong Kong Activist Edward Leung Given 6 years for police clash'; The Telegraph, 'Leading Hong Kong activist jailed'

• Reuters, 'Leading Hong Kong independence activist convicted of rioting'

• Hong Kong Free Press, 'UK watchdog urges fair trials for Hong Kong activists; suggests stripping Justice Sec. of prosecution power'

• Reuters, 'European Union voices concern after Hong Kong bars election candidate'

• South China Morning Post, 'Hong Kong’s leader rejects foreign criticism over barring of democracy activist Agnes Chow from legislative by-election'

• China Uncensored, 'Interview with Benedict Rogers'