Eric Lai 黎恩灝
@ericyhlai.bsky.social
Senior Fellow @GeorgetownCAL | PhD (@SOAS) | Law, Politics and Human Rights in HK&PRC| RTs=/endorsem’t
1/This week, I was invited by a number of media outlets, including Al Jazeera, DW News and France 24, to explain the disbandment of the League of Social Democrats and the future of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. Link here (France 24): www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/...
July 4, 2025 at 10:34 PM
1/This week, I was invited by a number of media outlets, including Al Jazeera, DW News and France 24, to explain the disbandment of the League of Social Democrats and the future of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement. Link here (France 24): www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/...
Joined #AlJazeera to discuss the disbandment of League of Social Democrats in #HongKong, marking the nearly total disappearance of #opposition parties and #political #pluralism in this city.
June 29, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Joined #AlJazeera to discuss the disbandment of League of Social Democrats in #HongKong, marking the nearly total disappearance of #opposition parties and #political #pluralism in this city.
Thrilled to share my new book Legal Resistance under Authoritarianism (July 2025).It explores how legal actors engage in resistance within authoritarian regimes,sometimes quietly,sometimes boldly.Endless thanks to those who challenged,encouraged, and shaped this work.Link: www.aup.nl/en/book/9789...
June 17, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Thrilled to share my new book Legal Resistance under Authoritarianism (July 2025).It explores how legal actors engage in resistance within authoritarian regimes,sometimes quietly,sometimes boldly.Endless thanks to those who challenged,encouraged, and shaped this work.Link: www.aup.nl/en/book/9789...
1/[Why Did the HKG Propose a Security Subsidiary Legislation Today?] Just when they are reading the proposal in the Legislative Council, PRC's State Council released a new White Paper on "China's National Security in the New Age”.
May 12, 2025 at 3:28 PM
1/[Why Did the HKG Propose a Security Subsidiary Legislation Today?] Just when they are reading the proposal in the Legislative Council, PRC's State Council released a new White Paper on "China's National Security in the New Age”.
1/The proposal further codifies the broad powers of the Office for Safeguarding National Security (OSNS) operating in HK, without meaningful checks by local BODIES. This reflects the rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, espc. the growing tensions between China and the West.
Hong Kong authorities have proposed establishing a mechanism to allow mainland China to exercise jurisdiction over national security cases. In full: buff.ly/1v4926f
HK floats mechanism to allow Beijing to exercise jurisdiction over nat. sec cases
Hong Kong authorities have proposed establishing a mechanism to allow mainland China to exercise jurisdiction over national security cases.
buff.ly
May 12, 2025 at 10:23 AM
1/The proposal further codifies the broad powers of the Office for Safeguarding National Security (OSNS) operating in HK, without meaningful checks by local BODIES. This reflects the rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, espc. the growing tensions between China and the West.
1/In prayers and solidarity I am sharing my thoughts on Cardinal Zen’e bravery and faithful witness in rejecting calls for him to leave HK where the government accuses him with the draconian national security law. Thanks @WSJ for publishing this oped. www.wsj.com/opinion/card...
Opinion | Cardinal Zen Refuses to Flee From the Wolves
He has returned to Hong Kong to be with his flock.
www.wsj.com
May 9, 2025 at 10:39 PM
1/In prayers and solidarity I am sharing my thoughts on Cardinal Zen’e bravery and faithful witness in rejecting calls for him to leave HK where the government accuses him with the draconian national security law. Thanks @WSJ for publishing this oped. www.wsj.com/opinion/card...
Were they living in democratic society, never would they have been sent to jail for what they have committed to five years ago.
Four pro-democracy lawmakers from ‘Hong Kong 47’ group freed after four years in jail
Four pro-democracy lawmakers from ‘Hong Kong 47’ group freed after four years in jail
Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam and Gary Fan among those released on Tuesday after prosecution criticised as politically motivated
A group of pro-democracy lawmakers jailed in a landmark Hong Kong national security trial have been freed after spending four years in prison.
Local media had reported that the group, Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam and Gary Fan, would be freed on Tuesday from three separate prisons across Hong Kong. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
April 29, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Were they living in democratic society, never would they have been sent to jail for what they have committed to five years ago.
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
Four pro-democracy lawmakers from ‘Hong Kong 47’ group freed after four years in jail
Four pro-democracy lawmakers from ‘Hong Kong 47’ group freed after four years in jail
Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam and Gary Fan among those released on Tuesday after prosecution criticised as politically motivated
A group of pro-democracy lawmakers jailed in a landmark Hong Kong national security trial have been freed after spending four years in prison.
Local media had reported that the group, Claudia Mo, Kwok Ka-ki, Jeremy Tam and Gary Fan, would be freed on Tuesday from three separate prisons across Hong Kong. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
April 29, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Four pro-democracy lawmakers from ‘Hong Kong 47’ group freed after four years in jail
Congrats to the report launch! Delighted to provide my comments on the impacts of reprisals tactics against civil society members actively engaging in the UN human rights bodies.
📢 ISHR launches a key report uncovering #China's tactics to block civil society’s access to the #UnitedNations.
Deferrals of NGO accreditation applications, reprisals against activists, growing number of 'government-organised NGOs' - read the full story here: ishr.ch/latest-updat...
Deferrals of NGO accreditation applications, reprisals against activists, growing number of 'government-organised NGOs' - read the full story here: ishr.ch/latest-updat...
New ISHR report uncovers China’s tactics to block civil society access to the United Nations
The Chinese government has made extensive use of its membership of UN human rights bodies and soared the presence of Chinese GONGOs to deter and prevent independent NGOs and human rights defenders…
ishr.ch
April 29, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Congrats to the report launch! Delighted to provide my comments on the impacts of reprisals tactics against civil society members actively engaging in the UN human rights bodies.
I am pleased to present my contribution to the latest edited volume on Hong Kong’s autocratisation. Adapting Lord Bingham’s principles of the Rule of Law, I examine how the legal system and separation of powers have been eroded under the autocratisation process.
Order here: lnkd.in/eKQ-h2wF
Order here: lnkd.in/eKQ-h2wF
April 22, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I am pleased to present my contribution to the latest edited volume on Hong Kong’s autocratisation. Adapting Lord Bingham’s principles of the Rule of Law, I examine how the legal system and separation of powers have been eroded under the autocratisation process.
Order here: lnkd.in/eKQ-h2wF
Order here: lnkd.in/eKQ-h2wF
In 2013, I had a privilege to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Francis and the following Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday)Mass at St Peter Basilica,presided over by Pope Francis as well. His examples, words and deeds, though not everyone agree, inspire many. Requiescat in pace. AMDG.
April 21, 2025 at 2:59 PM
In 2013, I had a privilege to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Francis and the following Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday)Mass at St Peter Basilica,presided over by Pope Francis as well. His examples, words and deeds, though not everyone agree, inspire many. Requiescat in pace. AMDG.
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
The international community reacts to the death of Pope Francis, who was a truly global figure and influence went beyond the Catholic church.
The world mourns the passing of the Pope
The international community reacts to the death of Pope Francis, who was a truly global figure and influence went beyond the Catholic church.
www.npr.org
April 21, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The international community reacts to the death of Pope Francis, who was a truly global figure and influence went beyond the Catholic church.
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
Today we are proud to launch the Hong Kong Accountability Archive (HKAA), an independent database of videos from the 2019 pro-democracy protests aimed at protecting freedom of peaceful assembly by preserving evidence of human rights violations. Watch this promo for more on the project.
April 9, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Today we are proud to launch the Hong Kong Accountability Archive (HKAA), an independent database of videos from the 2019 pro-democracy protests aimed at protecting freedom of peaceful assembly by preserving evidence of human rights violations. Watch this promo for more on the project.
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
The nonprofit in an old Christian Science building archiving the internet.
www.npr.org/2025/03/23/n...
www.npr.org/2025/03/23/n...
As the Trump administration purges web pages, this group is rushing to save them
The Trump administration's erasure of federal data has put the Internet Archive in the spotlight. The organization, with its small but mighty team, is working to help save the world's digital history.
www.npr.org
March 24, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The nonprofit in an old Christian Science building archiving the internet.
www.npr.org/2025/03/23/n...
www.npr.org/2025/03/23/n...
My take in theStraitsTimes: “The most commonly used charge of sedition – inciting others to rebel against the authority of the government or state – has allowed the authorities “to exert greater social control, particularly over dissenting opinions and speeches.” www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-as...
March 23, 2025 at 2:31 PM
My take in theStraitsTimes: “The most commonly used charge of sedition – inciting others to rebel against the authority of the government or state – has allowed the authorities “to exert greater social control, particularly over dissenting opinions and speeches.” www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-as...
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
We are also working hand in hand with Chinese (and HK) scholars on cutting-edge research. See our series of reports on Hong Kong's draconian National Security Law here, many of them co-authored with my friend and colleague @ericyhlai.bsky.social:
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/pub...
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/pub...
Reports
www.law.georgetown.edu
March 3, 2025 at 3:26 PM
We are also working hand in hand with Chinese (and HK) scholars on cutting-edge research. See our series of reports on Hong Kong's draconian National Security Law here, many of them co-authored with my friend and colleague @ericyhlai.bsky.social:
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/pub...
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/pub...
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
In an extraordinary display of public support, heads of state, heads of government, and foreign ministers from all over Europe and Canada are posting in support of Ukraine in response to the Oval Office meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vance.
February 28, 2025 at 10:26 PM
In an extraordinary display of public support, heads of state, heads of government, and foreign ministers from all over Europe and Canada are posting in support of Ukraine in response to the Oval Office meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vance.
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
Some good news on the foreign aid funding freeze fight! As many have seen, the DC District Court has just issued a TRO against USG. A big initial victory, but there's a long road ahead. Some initial thoughts on the ruling, but first, here is the @nytimes.com writeup:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/u...
Judge Orders Trump Administration to Resume Foreign Aid Spending
The judge faulted the logic of a blanket freeze on foreign aid spending and found that groups that depend on the aid had made a strong initial showing of “irreparable harm.”
www.nytimes.com
February 14, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Some good news on the foreign aid funding freeze fight! As many have seen, the DC District Court has just issued a TRO against USG. A big initial victory, but there's a long road ahead. Some initial thoughts on the ruling, but first, here is the @nytimes.com writeup:
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/u...
Representatives from Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service have fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software to probe the agency’s programs and spending, according to two people with knowledge of the DOGE team’s actions.
Elon Musk’s DOGE is feeding sensitive federal data into AI to target cuts
Department of Government Efficiency workers embedded in the Education Department have been processing sensitive agency data using artificial intelligence.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 6, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
The 5 that stand out for me:
1) the HK gov pressuring Google to censor a song (I used to work for Google on freedom of expression issues).
I helped out with a legal analysis of this case, together with @ericyhlai.bsky.social and @tom-kellogg.bsky.social. 👇
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...
1) the HK gov pressuring Google to censor a song (I used to work for Google on freedom of expression issues).
I helped out with a legal analysis of this case, together with @ericyhlai.bsky.social and @tom-kellogg.bsky.social. 👇
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...
www.law.georgetown.edu
January 8, 2025 at 11:21 AM
The 5 that stand out for me:
1) the HK gov pressuring Google to censor a song (I used to work for Google on freedom of expression issues).
I helped out with a legal analysis of this case, together with @ericyhlai.bsky.social and @tom-kellogg.bsky.social. 👇
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...
1) the HK gov pressuring Google to censor a song (I used to work for Google on freedom of expression issues).
I helped out with a legal analysis of this case, together with @ericyhlai.bsky.social and @tom-kellogg.bsky.social. 👇
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...
Independence and autonomy are threats to autocratic regimes, even if such autonomy does not relate to political authority. Such autocrats’ anxiety often creates further grievance among the people as the former would want to overact for their own security.
More than 20 Hong Kong police officers have been deployed to a neighbourhood where a week-long independent book fair was underway.
In full: https://buff.ly/49TszrA
In full: https://buff.ly/49TszrA
Hong Kong police deploy around independent book fair as attendees stopped and searched | Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
More than 20 Hong Kong police officers have been deployed to a neighbourhood where a week-long independent book fair was underway. Some attendees had their IDs and bags checked by the police, a book store...
buff.ly
December 27, 2024 at 5:07 PM
Independence and autonomy are threats to autocratic regimes, even if such autonomy does not relate to political authority. Such autocrats’ anxiety often creates further grievance among the people as the former would want to overact for their own security.
1/While the PRC govt always denounces foreign interference as interfering sovereignty, the HKG’s latest announcement directly infringes sovereignty of other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia. They have the right to trade, practice and speak freely.
December 24, 2024 at 9:55 AM
1/While the PRC govt always denounces foreign interference as interfering sovereignty, the HKG’s latest announcement directly infringes sovereignty of other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia. They have the right to trade, practice and speak freely.
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
Great podcast on the situation in S Korea with long interview of @jeanhong.bsky.social , really interesting podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...
Six hours under martial law in South Korea
Podcast Episode · On Point | Podcast · 12/09/2024 · 47m
podcasts.apple.com
December 10, 2024 at 12:14 AM
Great podcast on the situation in S Korea with long interview of @jeanhong.bsky.social , really interesting podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...
1/New publication: My latest piece of review and analysis of HK’s NSL regime in the Taiwan Human Rights Journal., titled “Not Just About the Law”. Also feature @chungchingkwong ‘s piece on NSL and digital rights. You can download them here: taiwanhrj.org
December 6, 2024 at 7:25 PM
1/New publication: My latest piece of review and analysis of HK’s NSL regime in the Taiwan Human Rights Journal., titled “Not Just About the Law”. Also feature @chungchingkwong ‘s piece on NSL and digital rights. You can download them here: taiwanhrj.org
Reposted by Eric Lai 黎恩灝
New Report!
In this report, GCAL analyzes the government’s extensive – and, ultimately, successful – drive to push leading tech companies to censor the 2019 pro-democracy anthem “Glory to Hong Kong.” @tom-kellogg.bsky.social @ericyhlai.bsky.social @lokman.org
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...
In this report, GCAL analyzes the government’s extensive – and, ultimately, successful – drive to push leading tech companies to censor the 2019 pro-democracy anthem “Glory to Hong Kong.” @tom-kellogg.bsky.social @ericyhlai.bsky.social @lokman.org
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...
www.law.georgetown.edu
December 5, 2024 at 2:26 PM
New Report!
In this report, GCAL analyzes the government’s extensive – and, ultimately, successful – drive to push leading tech companies to censor the 2019 pro-democracy anthem “Glory to Hong Kong.” @tom-kellogg.bsky.social @ericyhlai.bsky.social @lokman.org
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...
In this report, GCAL analyzes the government’s extensive – and, ultimately, successful – drive to push leading tech companies to censor the 2019 pro-democracy anthem “Glory to Hong Kong.” @tom-kellogg.bsky.social @ericyhlai.bsky.social @lokman.org
www.law.georgetown.edu/law-asia/wp-...