Radio France Internationale (RFI): Hong Kong Residents will launch a Large Parade to Protest Against Article 23 Legislation

On June 26 2003, RFI broadcast the following report in Mandarin to Chinese people in Paris and Mainland China:

Chinese President Wen Jiabao is scheduled to pay a three-day visit to Hong Kong at the end of this month. Hong Kong residents will also launch a large-scale parade against Article 23 legislation on July 1.

Before that, the Global Coalition against Article 23 Legislation will hold a rally in Washington DC today (Saturday). According to Hong Kong’s advocates of democracy, the Hong Kong government, under pressure from the Jiang regime, will formally enact Article 23 on July 9. Therefore, Hong Kong residents will hold a large scale parade against the Article 23 legislation on July 1.

Hong Kong residents generally believe that the enactment of Article 23 of Hong Kong’s Basic Law will not only impair Hong Kong’s long-existing freedom of the press and freedom of speech, but is also harmful to Hong Kong’s economy. Once the legislation of Article 23 is passed, the Hong Kong authorities, like Mainland China, may arbitrarily arrest Hong Kong residents without warrants and deprive them of human rights. As a result, they plan to launch a large scale parade and demonstration to oppose Article 23 legislation. Their slogan is “Oppose Article 23 Legislation and Return the Civil Rights to the Residents.”

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200306/21754.html