Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Hong Kong democrats barred from Macau ahead of rally
AFP - 2 hours 28 minutes ago
MACAU (AFP) - - More than 20 Hong Kong democracy campaigners, including nine legislators, were barred from entering Macau ahead of a march against a proposed national security law, according to one of the lawmakers.
The group was stopped by immigration officials and detained for half an hour, before being put on a ferry back to Hong Kong, Emily Lau, deputy chairwoman of the Democratic Party, told AFP.
"They told us we have broken Macau security law, but they could not be more specific," Lau said.
Among those prevented from entering was well-known activist and legislator "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, chairman of the Democratic Party Albert Ho and former chief executive candidate Alan Leong.
Macau government spokeswoman Elena Au said she was not immediately able to comment.
Many of the activists had been allowed entry to the territory in the past few weeks, Lau said.
The pro-democrats were planning to take part in a march against a proposed national security law for the former Portuguese colony, which toughens the punishment for crimes such as treason and subversion.
A similar law was proposed in Hong Kong in 2003, but it met with huge public dissatisfaction including a rally attended by 500,000 people on worries it would restrict freedom of speech.
As a result, the Hong Kong government was forced to abandon its plans.
Lau said pro-democrats were worried that the bill was being introduced in Macau as a precursor to reintroducing it in Hong Kong.
"What sort of state is Macau in?" said Lau by telephone after she arrived back in Hong Kong.
"(The decision to bar the protestors from entering) reflects very poorly on the chief executive Edmund Ho and shows that the administration is so lacking in confidence... It is very sad."
Macau and Hong Kong were both handed back to China by their respective colonial powers in the 1990s and given separate constitutions to China that guarantee various freedoms not available on the mainland.
But the same mini-constitutions require the introduction of national security legislation.
Several hundred people took part in the march on Saturday in Macau, an AFP photographer at the scene said, which came on the ninth anniversary of the city's handover.
Macau has boomed in recent years on the back of an explosion in casino gambling, but in the past few months the growth has stuttered, putting pressure on the city's government amid growing concerns about corruption.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
Pets affected by recessionChannel NewsAsia - 1 hour 12 minutes ago
Police find body of security guard floating in the river at Robertson QuayChannel NewsAsia - 1 hour 20 minutes ago
Macau bars Hong Kong lawmakers from enteringAP - 1 hour 25 minutes ago
Myanmar arrests 19 North Korean defectors: policeAFP - 1 hour 48 minutes ago
Taiwan to expand official travel to ChinaAP - 2 hours 9 minutes ago
Enlarge Photo
Hong Kong democrats barred from Macau ahead of rally
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
Global economy seen sinking into 'severe' 2009 recession: report
Actress Jennifer Aniston appears naked in GQ magazine
Ageing L'Oreal heiress defends billion-dollar giveaway
Oil prices mixed; New York contract expires below 34 dollars
Deep Throat, Watergate's secret informant, dies at 95
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular