Hong Kong opposition activist Agnes Chow backed Japanese sanctions against city, witness tells Jimmy Lai trial
- Prosecution witness Andy Li explains to court how Japanese equivalent to the US Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act came about in early 2020
- Li says a Japanese lawmaker proposed a sanctions bill after suggestions by Hong Kong group, with Agnes Chow backing it in a video message
The prosecution witness said that then Japanese lawmaker Shiori Kanno had proposed a sanctions bill as a counter-suggestion to an idea by the “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong” (SWHK) advocacy group, in which Li was a core member.
Li, a programmer turned activist, recalled a gathering in the summer of 2020 organised by a group of Japanese legislators and Japan-based Hongkongers to drum up public support for Kanno’s proposed bill.
“At that event, Agnes Chow in a video message in effect offered support for it,” Li told West Kowloon Court.
“She thanked [the Japanese people] and wished Japan would continue to express their concerns for Hong Kong.”
The US’ Democracy Act was signed into law in November 2019, paving the way for punitive measures against those deemed to have undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy.