Record-low voter turnout in Hong Kong District Council elections
Yesterday, Hong Kong held District Council elections across all 18 Districts in Hong Kong. The participation rate in these elections was 27.54 percent, in contrast to the 2019 elections where participation was 71.2 percent and democratic candidates won by a landslide.
Hong Kong Watch previously wrote about this in our Briefing on Electoral Reforms and the Erosion of Democracy in Hong Kong which covers reforms made to the Chief Executive, Legislative Council, and District Council elections in the HKSAR and analyses how, with every electoral reform, the HKSAR is less democratic and more directly controlled by the PRC.
This record-low voter turnout among all post-1997 elections in Hong Kong occurred despite voting hours being extended from 10.30pm to midnight due to a technical glitch in the voting system.
There were a total of six arrests on voting day over a planned protest outside a polling station and alleged election interference, with 10,000 national security police deployed at polling stations. All candidates were also required to complete national security vetting to ensure only “patriots” are elected.
This follows the overhaul in local elections in Hong Kong in May, which involved reducing the number of democratically-elected seats from 452 seats to 88 seats. The remaining seats are selected by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee or government-appointed committees.
Hong Kong Watch welcomes the European Parliament Informal Hong Kong Watch group’s statement condemning the Hong Kong District Council elections and calling for targeted sanctions against Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, intensified trial observation, and refraining from normalising Europe’s relationship with Hong Kong. Hong Kong Watch also thanks the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for responding to the sham elections, stating, “Meaningful opposition in Hong Kong’s electoral system is being eliminated. We strongly urge the Hong Kong Government to uphold its international commitments and respect the civil rights and freedoms of Hong Kong citizens.”
Miriam M. Lexmann, Member of the European Parliament and Hong Kong Watch Patron, said:
“This latest round of District Council elections proves that Hong Kong elections have become selections. The fact that the Hong Kong government fears the election of even one democratic opposition candidate reveals the insecurities behind Hong Kong’s regime that is increasingly controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. I condemn the ongoing destruction of democracy in Hong Kong, and join many of my colleagues in calling for targeted sanctions against Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee. EU Member States and companies should also be mindful of the political risks in doing business with Hong Kong, as we observe the direct negative impact of destruction of the rule of law on the business environment.”
Benedict Rogers, co-founder and Chief Executive of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“Hong Kongers have spoken loud and clearly. They do not accept the Chinese Communist Party’s current system as legitimate. The international community should follow suit by not recognising this sham election nor its results as it is part of John Lee’s ploy to slowly shut out any trace of democracy in Hong Kong. We call on the British Parliament and European Parliament to support Hong Kongers in Hong Kong and abroad by issuing sanctions against bounty-hunter John Lee for the ongoing erosion of political rights in Hong Kong.”
香港區選投票率創史上新低 香港監察呼籲英國國會、歐洲議會制裁李家超
香港新一屆區議會選舉昨天舉行，投票率為27.54%，創史上新低。2019年區議會選舉的投票率則為71.2%，當屆民主派候選人取得壓倒性勝利。
香港監察早前發表的《香港選舉制度改革及對民主的破壞簡報》有提到這點。簡報涵蓋了香港特別行政區行政長官、立法會和區議會選舉制度的改革，並分析了每次選舉改制如何導致香港民主倒退，並更直接受到中國控制。
歐洲議會非正式香港監察小組發聲明譴責香港區議會選舉，並呼籲制裁香港特首李家超、加強審訊觀察，以及切勿與香港恢復正常關係，香港監察歡迎有關聲明。另外，香港監察感謝英國外交、聯邦及發展事務部回應這場假選舉，其新聞稿指出：「香港選舉制度中有意義的反對派正被消除。我們強烈呼籲香港政府恪守國際承諾，尊重香港公民的公民權利和自由。」
歐洲議會議員、香港監察贊助人Miriam M. Lexmann表示：
「香港新一屆區議會選舉證實，香港選舉已變成篩選。香港政府連一名民主反對派候選人當選也擔心，揭露了香港政權背後的不安全感，而這政權愈來愈受到中國共產黨控制。我譴責對香港民主的持續破壞，並與一眾同儕聯聲呼籲制裁香港特首李家超。歐盟成員國及企業亦應考慮與香港做生意的政治風險，因我們觀察到法治受破壞對營商環境造成的直接負面影響。」
香港監察共同創辦人兼行政總監羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）表示：
「香港人已清楚表明心聲，他們並不接受中國共產黨現行制度為正當制度。國際社會應該仿效做法，拒絕承認這場假選舉及其結果，因這是李家超慢慢使香港民主消聲匿跡手段的一環。我們呼籲英國國會和歐洲議會支持香港和海外的香港人，就香港政治權利持續受破壞制裁賞金獵人李家超。」