Hong Kong's Court of Appeal has ruled that the government can ban the song “Glory to Hong Kong,” which was widely used during the 2019 pro-democracy protests.File photo: Jérôme Fabre
May 9 (UPI) — Hong Kong's Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court ruling, ruling that the government has the power to ban “Glory to Hong Kong,” which emerged as a protest song during the 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations.
Hong Kong authorities had complained that the song had sparked “violence and mayhem.” The song was so popular that it came to be confused with China's national anthem, the March of the Volunteers.
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Authorities had asked Google and other internet platforms to remove the song.
Court of Appeal judges said it was “necessary” to ask internet platforms to remove the song and the “offending video” associated with it.
Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International's China director, said the ruling was yet another example of Hong Kong's rapidly shrinking freedoms.
“The Hong Kong government's campaign to ban the song is dangerous and ridiculous,” Brooks said in a statement. “The banning of 'Glory to Hong Kong' is not only a senseless attack on Hong Kong people's freedom of expression, but also a violation of international human rights law.
“Today's appeal victory for the government after a lower court ruled against it last year is a worrying sign of authorities' growing reluctance to respect human rights and uphold their obligations. It is.”
Justice Anthony Chan of the Hong Kong High Court ruled against the government, which banned the song last July, saying the song incited sedition and other acts and that the ban violated the right to free speech. I had rejected it.
Despite a recent crackdown by the Chinese government, the former British colony remains a largely autonomous special administrative region and continues to maintain its own legal system, currency and government department separate from mainland China. ing.
