You are invited to an exclusive screening of an acclaimed documentary The Hong Konger followed by a discussion with Samuel Chu of The Campaign for Hong Kong.
When Hong Kong’s basic freedoms come under attack, media tycoon Jimmy Lai finds himself in the crosshairs of the state and must choose between defending Hong Kong’s long-standing liberties, or his own freedom. Reassured by Beijing’s “one nation, two systems” approach, much of Hong Kong’s prosperity and freedom continued—until a palpable shift occurred under the leadership of Chinese president Xi Jinping. As China retreated from its “one nation, two systems” policy and began installing pro-Beijing leaders in Hong Kong, Jimmy Lai became a leading voice against repressive policies. Jimmy could have fled but he chose to stay, marching alongside millions of his fellow Hong Kongers in defense of freedom and democracy. He was soon arrested and jailed. International banks froze his assets. Apple Daily was raided and key executives arrested. In June 2021, Apple Daily printed its final edition and shut its doors. Today Jimmy perseveres in a Hong Kong prison cell awaiting trial. The Hong Konger chronicles Jimmy’s story of heroic sacrifice and symbol of the freedom movement. From his own testimony as well as through exclusive interviews with diplomats, citizen activists, scholars, and friends from across the globe, one thing becomes clear: Jimmy’s fate is in our hands. His cause must not die in a prison cell—for freedom is not merely his cause, but the cause of all Hong Kongers, the Chinese people, and indeed all humanity.
After the screening, you will have a chance to discuss the situation in Hong Kong with Samuel Chu (朱牧民) who is a prominent community organizer for human rights, equality, and democracy locally and globally. He is the founder and President of The Campaign for Hong Kong. Most recently, Samuel was the founding and managing director of Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), the Washington DC-based, nonpartisan voice for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and Hong Kongers in the US. Launched in 2019, HKDC successfully passed landmark legislation such as the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, and numerous other policies supporting Hong Kong. In direct response, Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants against Samuel in July 2020, making him the first foreign citizen to be targeted under the National Security Law. In July 2021, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced sanctions against HKDC, making it the first foreign entity to be targeted under the new anti-sanctions law.