Sham LegCo “Election” Capped by Lowest Turnout in Hong Kong’s History 

Washington, DC (December 20, 2021) - In response to the historic low turnout in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election, the Campaign for Hong Kong releases the following statement from founder and president, Samuel Chu:

“Hong Kongers clearly did not buy the sham ‘patriots-only’ election on Sunday - with an overwhelming majority of them sitting out and boycotting the rigged LegCo elections that were nothing more than a performative selection ritual fully controlled by Beijing.

30.2% of eligible voters participated, the lowest turnout ever in Hong Kong’s election history, and less than half of the 71.2% who voted in the historic pro-democracy landslide district council elections of 2019.

The takeover of Hong Kong by Beijing has been total. While many of the city’s political institutions are still in place visibly or on paper, such as LegCo, District Councils, and Judiciary, they have been corrupted and hijacked functionally and politically by Beijing. No sensible and true Hong Konger, regardless of their political beliefs, could honestly claim that Hong Kong operates with any autonomy from the CCP.

Despite opposite leaders being jailed, banned, or exiled, I believe firmly that the opposition lives on behind bars and in the hearts and minds of Hong Kongers who didn’t vote or defied the authorities and cast blank and spoiled ballots. In this case, they act through inaction.

The opposition has already taken new shapes and tactics over the past year because of the mass arrests, COVID, and political crackdowns – and it will continue to evolve with the help of overseas and international backing no matter how hard Beijing work to crush it.”

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