Hong Kong protests: ‘No one safe’ under extradition – BBC Newsnight

Published on Jun 12, 2019
Demonstrators rally outside government offices in Hong Kong to protest a controversial extradition law. Subscribe to our channel here: https://goo.gl/31Q53F

Some of the biggest demonstrations ever seen in the former British colony have drawn hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets.

Protesters see the new law – which would allow suspected criminals to be sent to mainland China for trial – as a dangerous attempt to erode the city’s judicial independence.

But Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam has refused to scrap the bill.

Our international editor Gabriel Gatehouse reports from the city.

China blames US for massive Hong Kong protest

Published on Jun 10, 2019
Chinese state media is blaming the US for helping organize massive protests in Hong Kong. According to organizers, more than a million people took to the streets to protest a new law which could allow Hong Kongers to be extradited to China on a range of offenses. Critics say the move would make anyone in Hong Kong vulnerable to being grabbed by the Chinese authorities for political reasons or inadvertent business offenses and undermine the city’s semi-autonomous legal system. Though police put the protest size at closer to 250,000, there’s little doubt that the march was among the largest since 2003, when 500,000 people protested against a sedition law — and successfully blocked it. CNN’s Matt Rivers reports.

Hong Kong protests extradition bill: “There is no trust of the Chinese government”

Published on Jun 13, 2019
Nearly a million people in Hong Kong flooded the streets Wednesday to protest a bill that would allow extradition of the city’s residents to mainland China. Demonstrators voiced concerns over maintaining their civil rights and facing persecution under Chinese jurisdiction. “There really is no trust of the Chinese government,” says Hong Kong-based journalist Mary Hui. Assurances that freedom of assembly and speech will remain in tact “don’t hold any water,” she adds.

No More Deaths: Mistrial Declared After Jury Refuses to Convict Scott Warren for Aiding Migrants

Published on Jun 13, 2019
In Tucson, Arizona, a jury has refused to convict humanitarian activist Scott Warren, who faced up to 20 years in prison for providing water, food, clean clothes and beds to two undocumented migrants crossing the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona. Warren’s trial ended Tuesday in a mistrial after a deadlocked jury was unable to deliver a verdict. Eight jurors thought Warren was not guilty; four thought he was guilty. A status hearing is scheduled for July 2. Prosecutors have declined to comment on whether they would seek a retrial against Warren. We speak with Ryan Devereaux, a staff reporter at The Intercept who has covered Warren’s case extensively.

Vijay Prashad: U.S. Rushes to Blame Iran for Tanker Attacks as Much of World Pushes for Diplomacy

Published on Jun 14, 2019
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are again ratcheting up as the Trump administration accused Iran of orchestrating an attack Thursday on Japanese and Norwegian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Iran denied any involvement and accused the Trump administration of trying to sabotage diplomacy. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo directly accused Iran of attacking the oil tankers, and the U.S. released video of what it claimed was Iran’s Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded mine from the side of the Japanese oil tanker that was attacked. However, the president of the Japanese company that owns the ship said it was not attacked by mines but two flying objects. He also said he doesn’t believe any objects were attached to the side of the ship. We speak with Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research.

Journalists Chris Hedges and John Pilger unite for Assange

Published on Jun 14, 2019
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared in court on Friday. Top independent journalists from the world over flocked to UK to cover his trial. Rick Sanchez explains what’s at stake. We’ll also hear from acclaimed documentarian John Pilger. Then host of “On Contact” Chris Hedges joins live from London, UK to discuss the case against Assange.