Presidential Office stresses importance of free speech and assembly

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/08/17
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Presidential Office expressed regret about the prison

Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong. (By Associated Press)

sentences handed to three prominent democracy activists in Hong Kong, a spokesman said Thursday.

Joshua Wong (黃之鋒), a top leader of the 2014 “Umbrella Movement,” will have to serve six months in prison, while Nathan Law (羅冠聰) and Alex Chow (周永康) will have to spend eight and seven months in jail respectively.

Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and independence of the judiciary were serious promises the government of Hong Kong made to the people of the territory, said presidential spokesman Sidney Lin. The authorities should be responsive to citizens’ quest for reform and democracy, he reportedly added.    [FULL  STORY]