On Point | Podcast Hong Kong, 5 years after mass protests
Jun 13, 2025
Dennis Kwok, a former pro-democracy lawmaker from Hong Kong, shares his insights on the intense political climate five years after major protests against extradition laws. He discusses the chilling effects of the national security law on freedoms and the experiences of activists facing repression. Kwok highlights the significant erosion of democracy in Hong Kong, reflecting on how these changes may serve as lessons for other democracies. He also shares personal narratives of those impacted by authoritarian measures and the future of the pro-democracy movement in the region.
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One Country, Two Systems Breakdown
- Beijing gradually pushed back on honoring Hong Kong's promised freedoms since 2014.
- The "one country, two systems" principle became a mere facade by 2019.
Democracy Made a Crime Under Law
- The national security law criminalized peaceful democratic activities like primary elections.
- Authorities used vague charges of subversion to imprison pro-democracy lawmakers for years.
Exile Amid Mass Arrests
- Dennis Kwok fled Hong Kong when arrests of pro-democracy leaders intensified in 2020.
- He witnessed friends jailed under new charges after the national security law enactment.
