{"id":235311,"date":"2021-10-25T23:53:36","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T06:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=235311"},"modified":"2021-10-29T21:02:52","modified_gmt":"2021-10-30T04:02:52","slug":"national-security-law-threat-drives-amnesty-international-to-close-hong-kong-offices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2021\/10\/national-security-law-threat-drives-amnesty-international-to-close-hong-kong-offices\/","title":{"rendered":"National Security Law Threat Drives Amnesty International to Close Hong Kong Offices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On Monday, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/amnesty-shut-hong-kong-offices-given-national-security-law-risks-2021-10-25\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Amnesty International announced that it would leave Hong Kong<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> by the end of the year, explaining that it is now \u201ceffectively impossible\u201d for the NGO to continue operating under the National Security Law. Its departure from Hong Kong marks the exit of one of the most prominent international NGOs in the city, and is an ominous sign for what remains of the city\u2019s civil society.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Hong Kong branch of Amnesty International consists of two offices, both of which are scheduled for closure. Dan Strumpf from the Wall Street Journal described <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/amnesty-international-exits-hong-kong-citing-national-security-law-11635154415\"><strong>the scope of Amnesty International\u2019s work in its Hong Kong offices<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Hong Kong, Amnesty focused on human-rights education, including providing classroom talks, promoting an annual human-rights-themed documentary film festival and co-sponsoring a regional journalism award.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A separate Amnesty office in Hong Kong worked on research and human-rights advocacy work across the region. Amnesty said it would close its local office by the end of October, and its regional office by the end of the year. It said the regional office\u2019s work would continue from new locations but didn\u2019t say where. More than 30 people worked for the organization\u2019s two offices in Hong Kong, a spokesman said. [<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/amnesty-international-exits-hong-kong-citing-national-security-law-11635154415\"><strong>Source<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Office of AIHK ceases its operation on 31 October 2021. Amnesty will continue to monitor the human rights condition in Hong Kong and around the world.  Learn More: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tjtjtlEhYN\">https:\/\/t.co\/tjtjtlEhYN<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WyRhcZF3q4\">pic.twitter.com\/WyRhcZF3q4<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Amnesty International Hong Kong (@amnestyHK) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amnestyHK\/status\/1452563086938935297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tom Grundy from the Hong Kong Free Press reported that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hongkongfp.com\/2021\/10\/25\/breaking-rights-ngo-amnesty-international-to-close-its-hong-kong-offices-citing-security-law\/\"><strong>the threat of government reprisals for dissent was a major reason for Amnesty International\u2019s departure<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThis decision, made with a heavy heart, has been driven by Hong Kong\u2019s national security law, which has made it effectively impossible for human rights organizations in Hong Kong to work freely and without fear of serious reprisals from the government,\u201d said Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, chair of Amnesty\u2019s board, in a Monday press release.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">[\u2026] \u201cHong Kong has long been an ideal regional base for international civil society organizations, but the recent targeting of local human rights and trade union groups signals an intensification of the authorities\u2019 campaign to rid the city of all dissenting voices. It is increasingly difficult for us to keep operating in such an unstable environment.\u201d [<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hongkongfp.com\/2021\/10\/25\/breaking-rights-ngo-amnesty-international-to-close-its-hong-kong-offices-citing-security-law\/\"><strong>Source<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/HongKong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#HongKong<\/a> national security law has made it effectively impossible for human rights organizations in Hong Kong to work freely and without fear of serious reprisals from the government, including <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amnesty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@amnesty<\/a>. With a heavy heart, we are closing our offices. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/MpVUxlAuWV\">pic.twitter.com\/MpVUxlAuWV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Agnes Callamard (@AgnesCallamard) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AgnesCallamard\/status\/1452547411033866245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We will close 2 of our offices in Hong Kong by the end of the year. This decision has been driven by Hong Kong\u2019s National Security Law, which has made it effectively impossible for human rights orgs to work freely &amp; without fear of reprisals from the govt.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UpiTMMq0pt\">https:\/\/t.co\/UpiTMMq0pt<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Amnesty International (@amnesty) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amnesty\/status\/1452555683635908609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">LATEST: Deputy sec gen Kyle Ward told me the pace:<br \/>\u201cThe noose seems to be tightening a bit closer on civil society overall and therefore it behoved us to make a move before we ended up with someone in prison.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SBHEcQSo1z\">https:\/\/t.co\/SBHEcQSo1z<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Laura Westbrook (@LauraWestbrook) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LauraWestbrook\/status\/1452617949949296641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">New Hong Kong.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;(It) has made it effectively impossible for human rights organisations in Hong Kong to work freely and without fear of serious reprisals from the government,&quot; <\/p>\n<p>Amnesty to shutter Hong Kong offices, blames security law <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cSddwkaGDW\">https:\/\/t.co\/cSddwkaGDW<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FRANCE24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@FRANCE24<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Nathan Law \u7f85\u51a0\u8070 (@nathanlawkc) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nathanlawkc\/status\/1452541372423147524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">He confirmed in January, an email sent to the national security bureau accusing AI of violating the national security law and \u201cpoisoning students\u201d with its human rights education program<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Pak Yiu (@pakwayne) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pakwayne\/status\/1452534074115977218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Al Jazeera added that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/10\/25\/amnesty-to-close-two-hong-kong-offices-cites-security-law\"><strong>the vagueness of the National Security Law has blurred the line between criminality and legality<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, to the detriment of Amnesty International and other NGOs in Hong Kong:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThe environment of repression and perpetual uncertainty created by the national security law makes it impossible to know what activities might lead to criminal sanctions. The law has repeatedly been used to target people who have upset the authorities for any number of reasons \u2013 from singing political songs to discussing human rights issues in the classroom,\u201d said Amnesty\u2019s Bais.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThe pattern of raids, arrests and prosecutions against perceived opponents has highlighted how the vagueness of the law can be manipulated to build a case against whomsoever the authorities choose.\u201d [<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/10\/25\/amnesty-to-close-two-hong-kong-offices-cites-security-law\"><strong>Source<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rights NGO <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amnesty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Amnesty<\/a> International says it will close its Hong Kong offices by the end of 2021. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LYquK9Jejl\">https:\/\/t.co\/LYquK9Jejl<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7FuiVDUwYr\">pic.twitter.com\/7FuiVDUwYr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hkfp\/status\/1452523871895277572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The blurred line has created a Catch-22 for many NGOs and opposition groups in Hong Kong: to avoid breaching the National Security Law (NSL), many organizations have disbanded, ceased their activities, or left Hong Kong, but the act of doing so may provide grounds for future prosecutions of their organizations under the very same law. This is the case for the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), whose activities were deemed to be in conflict with the NSL. Despite the group\u2019s disbandment, authorities stated that CHRF would be \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hongkongfp.com\/2021\/08\/16\/beijing-says-disbanded-hong-kong-protest-coalition-is-daydreaming-to-think-it-can-escape-prosecution-as-police-vow-action\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">daydreaming<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201d to think it could escape prosecution, and they began <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2021\/8\/15\/chrf-hong-kong-group-behind-huge-democracy-rallies-disbands\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">investigating it for rallies held before the law went into effect<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. This is also the case for the Hong Kong Democratic Party, whose participation in the upcoming elections would directly challenge the NSL, but whose potential election boycott \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hongkongfp.com\/2021\/09\/06\/hong-kong-democratic-party-may-breach-security-law-if-it-tells-members-not-to-run-in-election-warns-pro-beijing-figure\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">will possibly violate the Hong Kong national security law<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">,\u201d according to a prominent pro-Beijing establishment figure. Again, this seems to apply to Amnesty International, which decided to leave the city to avoid being targeted by the NSL. But as Laura Westbrook reported in the South China Morning Post, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/hong-kong\/politics\/article\/3153587\/national-security-law-amnesty-international-close-its-2\"><strong>one establishment figure in Hong Kong attempted to spin the organization\u2019s departure<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> itself as a challenge to the NSL:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But lawmaker Holden Chow Ho-ding, vice-chairman of the pro-establishment Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said he was \u201cdeeply disappointed\u201d by Amnesty\u2019s claim it was no longer able to work in the city without fear of official reprisal and called it \u201cuntrue\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cIt is outrageous for any organisation to smear the national security law by unnecessarily closing their branches here,\u201d Chow said. [<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/hong-kong\/politics\/article\/3153587\/national-security-law-amnesty-international-close-its-2\"><strong>Source<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cIt is outrageous for any organisation to smear the national security law by unnecessarily closing their branches here.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tnxJaHpAN2\">https:\/\/t.co\/tnxJaHpAN2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Keith Richburg (@keithrichburg) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/keithrichburg\/status\/1452580361800617987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Amnesty International joins a long list of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2021\/09\/more-hong-kong-civil-society-groups-disband-under-pressure-from-national-security-law\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">organizations that have disbanded<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or left the city to avoid being targeted under the National Security Law. Agence France-Presse reported that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ph.news.yahoo.com\/hong-kongs-largest-pro-democracy-114018515.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">at least 50 civil society organizations have already done so<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, including human-rights-related organizations such as the Hong Kong Civil Human Rights Front, the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, and the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/10\/24\/world\/asia\/hong-kong-civil-society.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Human Rights Watch left Hong Kong<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> after being penalized by China for U.S. legislation supporting Hong Kong protesters, according to the New York Times. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/amnesty-shut-hong-kong-offices-given-national-security-law-risks-2021-10-25\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some organizations, such as the New School for Democracy, have relocated to Taiwan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">When reputable international CSO like <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/amnesty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@amnesty<\/a> cannot survive in Hong Kong, it is almost impossible for other smaller CSOs to operate in the city.<\/p>\n<p>The draconian national security law brings much more than chilling effect to Hong Kong. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/24rs8ZR8RV\">https:\/\/t.co\/24rs8ZR8RV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Finn Lau \u5289\u7956\u5ef8 (@finnlau_cd) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/finnlau_cd\/status\/1452589977452298241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Zen Soo from the Associated Press cited a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/law-asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2021\/06\/HongKongNSLRightToFairTrial.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> by the Georgetown University Center for Asian Law which explained how <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/asia-hong-kong-national-security-non-governmental-organizations-amnesty-international-49ce2a361ebbd294ae8bfc1b0c40660c\"><strong>the National Security Law makes it dangerous for NGOs considered \u201cpolitical\u201d to liaise with local activists and groups<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a June report, Georgetown University\u2019s Center for Asian Law said the National Security Law mirrored legislation in mainland China that tightly restricts contacts between local and international non-governmental organizations and threatens activists with imprisonment for allegedly colluding with foreign forces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cIt\u2019s disturbing \u2014 and contrary to international law \u2014 to see Hong Kong\u2019s \u2018national security\u2019 law similarly strangle civil society and free speech in the territory,\u201d said Sophie Richardson, China director at non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThe degree of surveillance and the National Security Law\u2019s vague prohibitions makes contact between Hong Kong people and those outside the territory potentially subject to prosecution, such that information-sharing is impeded,\u201d she said. [<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/asia-hong-kong-national-security-non-governmental-organizations-amnesty-international-49ce2a361ebbd294ae8bfc1b0c40660c\"><strong>Source<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a statement, Amnesty International\u2019s Secretary General Agnes Callamard <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/latest\/news\/2021\/10\/amnesty-international-to-close-its-hong-kong-offices\/\"><strong>paid tribute to the organization\u2019s accomplishments over the years<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWe are deeply indebted to Amnesty members and staff who over the last 40 years have worked tirelessly to protect human rights in and from Hong Kong. From successfully pushing for the full abolition of the death penalty in Hong Kong in 1993, to exposing evidence of excessive use of force by police during the 2019 mass protests, Amnesty in Hong Kong has shone a light on human rights violations in the darkest of days,\u201d said Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cIn the wider region, our research and campaigning has tackled subjects including freedom of expression in North Korea, conscientious objection to military service in South Korea, the right to housing in Mongolia, Japan\u2019s wartime atrocities against \u201ccomfort women\u201d, and the crackdown on human rights lawyers in China.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cMoreover, Amnesty International Hong Kong\u2019s education programmes \u2013 from classroom talks to a documentary film festival \u2013 have enhanced awareness of human rights not only in the city\u2019s schools but among the general public as well. No one and no power can demolish that legacy.\u201d [<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/latest\/news\/2021\/10\/amnesty-international-to-close-its-hong-kong-offices\/\"><strong>Source<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A real tragedy. Having worked with and attended events by Amnesty International HK, it was a beacon of hope for the wider region in its advocacy for human rights \ud83d\udd6f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hZCnnRSbQ3\">https:\/\/t.co\/hZCnnRSbQ3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Janis Wong (@janiswong_) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/janiswong_\/status\/1452612140754477059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 25, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Monday, Amnesty International announced that it would leave Hong Kong by the end of the year, explaining that it is now \u201ceffectively impossible\u201d for the NGO to continue operating under the National Security Law. Its departure from Hong Kong marks the exit of one of the most prominent international NGOs in the city, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1099,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[116,35,34,10,14744,17753],"tags":[929,17947,17004,17756,17623,5953],"class_list":["post-235311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-world","category-hong-kong","category-human-rights","category-law","category-level-2-article","category-recent-news","tag-amnesty-international","tag-civil-society-groups","tag-hong-kong","tag-hong-kong-national-security-law","tag-human-rights","tag-ngos","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.9 (Yoast SEO v23.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>National Security Law Threat Drives Amnesty International to Close Hong Kong Offices<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2021\/10\/national-security-law-threat-drives-amnesty-international-to-close-hong-kong-offices\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"National Security Law Threat Drives Amnesty International to Close Hong Kong Offices\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"On Monday, Amnesty International announced that it would leave Hong Kong by the end of the year, explaining that it is now \u201ceffectively impossible\u201d for the NGO to continue operating under the National Security Law. 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