This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/05/world/asia/joshua-wong-thailand-hong-kong.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Joshua Wong, Pro-Democracy Leader in Hong Kong, Is Detained in Bangkok | Joshua Wong, Pro-Democracy Leader in Hong Kong, Is Detained in Bangkok |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BEIJING — Joshua Wong, the leader of a student movement during the pro-democracy rallies in Hong Kong, was detained at the international airport in Bangkok early Wednesday, according to a statement from his political party. | BEIJING — Joshua Wong, the leader of a student movement during the pro-democracy rallies in Hong Kong, was detained at the international airport in Bangkok early Wednesday, according to a statement from his political party. |
| The party, Demosisto, which Mr. Wong had recently helped to establish, said Mr. Wong had arrived in Thailand at 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday on an Emirates flight. He had been invited to speak at Chulalongkorn University. | The party, Demosisto, which Mr. Wong had recently helped to establish, said Mr. Wong had arrived in Thailand at 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday on an Emirates flight. He had been invited to speak at Chulalongkorn University. |
| The party said it had been unable to get any word of Mr. Wong until 4:18 a.m. Hong Kong time, when a Thai student activist who was expecting to meet with him notified the party that Mr. Wong had been detained at the international airport. The party said the student told them that the authorities had received a letter from the Chinese government regarding Mr. Wong’s trip. He added that he had been unable to get in touch directly with Mr. Wong. | The party said it had been unable to get any word of Mr. Wong until 4:18 a.m. Hong Kong time, when a Thai student activist who was expecting to meet with him notified the party that Mr. Wong had been detained at the international airport. The party said the student told them that the authorities had received a letter from the Chinese government regarding Mr. Wong’s trip. He added that he had been unable to get in touch directly with Mr. Wong. |
| The party said it “strongly condemns the Thai government for unreasonably limiting Wong’s freedom and right to entry, and requests the immediate release of Wong.” | The party said it “strongly condemns the Thai government for unreasonably limiting Wong’s freedom and right to entry, and requests the immediate release of Wong.” |
| Mr. Wong drew international attention as one of the leaders of the Umbrella Revolution protests in 2014, which called for more democratic elections in Hong Kong, a largely autonomous former British colony that reverted to Chinese control in 1997. | Mr. Wong drew international attention as one of the leaders of the Umbrella Revolution protests in 2014, which called for more democratic elections in Hong Kong, a largely autonomous former British colony that reverted to Chinese control in 1997. |
| After the 2014 protests, which were denounced as “unlawful” by the Chinese authorities, Malaysia barred Mr. Wong from entry. Malaysia’s police inspector general said Mr. Wong was denied entry in May 2015 because the country did not want Mr. Wong to “jeopardize our ties with China.” | After the 2014 protests, which were denounced as “unlawful” by the Chinese authorities, Malaysia barred Mr. Wong from entry. Malaysia’s police inspector general said Mr. Wong was denied entry in May 2015 because the country did not want Mr. Wong to “jeopardize our ties with China.” |
| Mr. Wong has spoken at dozens of schools around the world, including universities in Tokyo, Taiwan and the United States. | Mr. Wong has spoken at dozens of schools around the world, including universities in Tokyo, Taiwan and the United States. |
| Though the Hong Kong protests did not win any immediate political concessions from Beijing, they gave rise to a new generation of political activists who went on to win seats in local elections. Nathan Law, another leader of the protests and a founder of the Demosisto party, will become the youngest ever legislator in Hong Kong when he is inaugurated next week. | Though the Hong Kong protests did not win any immediate political concessions from Beijing, they gave rise to a new generation of political activists who went on to win seats in local elections. Nathan Law, another leader of the protests and a founder of the Demosisto party, will become the youngest ever legislator in Hong Kong when he is inaugurated next week. |
| Agnes Chow, deputy secretary general of Demosisto, said, “The Chinese government doesn’t want Hong Kong’s pro-democracy voices to be heard outside.” | Agnes Chow, deputy secretary general of Demosisto, said, “The Chinese government doesn’t want Hong Kong’s pro-democracy voices to be heard outside.” |
| “But the harder it tries to suppress us,” Ms. Chow added, “the louder we’d be heard.” | “But the harder it tries to suppress us,” Ms. Chow added, “the louder we’d be heard.” |
| The Thai government has a recent record of complying with security requests from the Chinese government. It has deported scores of Uighur refugees back to China in response to demands by the Chinese authorities, and it allowed Chinese security officers to track down a liberal Hong Kong bookseller at a Thai resort. | The Thai government has a recent record of complying with security requests from the Chinese government. It has deported scores of Uighur refugees back to China in response to demands by the Chinese authorities, and it allowed Chinese security officers to track down a liberal Hong Kong bookseller at a Thai resort. |
| Peter Dahlin, the Swedish legal rights advocate who was detained and expelled from China last winter, said Chinese officers were also able to conduct surveillance on Chinese rights lawyers doing training on a Thai island. Mr. Dahlin now lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand. | |
| Sophie Richardson, director of China research for Human Rights Watch, said: “Thailand’s arrest of Joshua Wong, a well-known pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong, sadly suggests that Bangkok is willing to do Beijing’s bidding. Wong should be freed immediately and allowed to travel and exercise his right to free expression.” | Sophie Richardson, director of China research for Human Rights Watch, said: “Thailand’s arrest of Joshua Wong, a well-known pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong, sadly suggests that Bangkok is willing to do Beijing’s bidding. Wong should be freed immediately and allowed to travel and exercise his right to free expression.” |