bc magazine

Life in Hong Kong’s Prisons During the Pandemic

American lawyer Samuel Bickett recently deported from Hong Kong at the completion of his prison sentence, has written about life in Hong Kong’s prisons during Covid.

On 22 April 2022 Bickett applied to the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal to appeal his 2021 assault conviction.

“The Black Box: My Experience in Hong Kong’s Prisons During the Pandemic Lockdown

Prisoners have been harmed more by pandemic lockdown measures than by Covid

My intention is for this to be the first in a series of articles about my second stint in Hong Kong’s prisons earlier this year. In truth, I’ve found it more traumatic than expected to recall and write about these events, so I’ll make no guarantees about future articles. But there is a lot to tell, and I promise I will do my best to share it with you.

A cancer-stricken 75 year-old political detainee housed in the same cell as me at Lai Chi Kok Prison had his court hearing cancelled and was forced to remain locked up without bail, and without any indication of when he’d be able to seek release.

Hundreds of prisoners at Stanley Prison were locked alone in tiny cells for six weeks, only permitted out briefly every other day for a shower.

A dead prisoner’s corpse was left in a shared cell for hours, as other prisoners bunched together on the furthest wall in the small room to avoid getting too close… ”

Read the full article here samuelbickett.substack.com/p/the-black-box-my-experience-in-hong

Alternative Smoking Products Banned from 30 April, 2022

The amended Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap 371) which prohibits the import, promotion, manufacture, sale and possession for commercial purposes of alternative smoking products (ASPs) takes effect from 30 April 2022.

“The ban covers electronic smoking products, heated tobacco products, herbal cigarettes, and their accessories. Starting this Saturday, Tobacco and Alcohol Control Inspectors will conduct inspections, investigate complaints and carry out enforcement actions accordingly,” said a spokesman for the Department of Health (DH). Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

According to the amended Ordinance, import of an ASP by way of parcels, cargoes or bringing in by incoming travellers is prohibited. Travellers bringing ASPs into Hong Kong, regardless of the quantity or whether they are for personal use, must declare them to the Customs and Excise Department.

The amendment also makes it an offence to smoke or carry an activated ASP in a statutory no-smoking area. Offenders will face a $1,500 fixed penalty notice.

The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) has published a pamphlet to assist the public, incoming travellers and traders in complying with the new legislative requirements.

If you wish to quit smoking you can call the DH’s Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline on 1833 183 which offers professional counselling services on smoking cessation. Information on quitting smoking can also be obtained from www.livetobaccofree.hk.

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 28 Runs in the Second Women’s T20i, 28 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women go two up in the T20 series beating Hong Kong Women by 28 runs at the Malek Cricket Ground, 28 April 2022.

images: HKcricket

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 7 Wickets in the First Women’s T20i, 27 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women go one up in the T20 series beating Hong Kong Women by 7 wickets (with 27 balls remaining) at the Malek Cricket Ground, 27 April 2022.

images: HKcricket

Actor Kenneth Tsang Dies in Quarantine

Actor Kenneth Tsang Koon-yat 曾江 died in a quarantine hotel yesterday, the 87-year-old actor had flown in from Singapore and tested positive for covid.

Tsang was born in Shanghai and became an actor in the 1950s starring in many popular films during the 60s. In the 80s appearing with Chow Yun-Fat in A Better Tomorrow and its sequel, and films like John Woo’s The Killer and Rush Hour 2 raised Tsang’s international profile and saw him appear in The Replacement Killers in the James Bond film Die Another Day.

In his 50-year career, Tsang appeared in over 200 films, directing three.

Tsang has a star on the Avenue of Stars on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

Satirical Cartoonist Ah To Forced to Flee Hong Kong

Satirical cartoonist 阿塗 Ah To has announced that he has been forced to leave Hong Kong because he no longer feels safe…

A statement on Ah To’s facebook page explains his reasons for leaving so abruptly:

抱歉，離開香港，係因為我想繼續為香港創作。

呢句說話聽落好自相矛盾，但我內心又真係咁複雜矛盾。如今靈魂遺留在故地，肉體卻已經流亡，要咁撕裂地創作，只擔心往後的作品會魂不附體，難接地氣；但，留喺香港創作時事漫畫，精神壓力巨大，離別係逼不得已的抉擇。

畫咗十一年時事漫畫，2017年社運低潮時有諗過放棄；2021年有諗過轉型畫生活題材，但依家係香港最需要同時又最唔需要時事漫畫的時候，所以我更想堅持。原諒我軟弱無能，只能遙距透過創作繼續與香港同行。

因為離別匆匆，而且必須低調，遺憾無法同朋友一一話別。諗起再會無期的香港親友，諗起在囚或待審的戰友，諗起一直支持我的讀者，諗起要被迫陪我一齊走難的太太⋯⋯心裏非常愧疚。未試過出一個Post 會感到如此吃力，每一個字都令我難過。我會記住呢份愧疚，多替不能發聲的人發聲，希望將來香港歷史書上唔會留低一片靜默；日後提起呢個時代，唔會只剩當代人先能夠理解的零碎記憶，欠缺咗自由的表述，感觸或無從說起。

願良善的人珍重，以各種形式將良善存留下去。

English translation:

“I’m sorry. I’m leaving Hong Kong because I want to continue creating art for HK.

This sounds paradoxical, but that’s reflective of how I feel inside. My soul remains here, but my flesh has fled. I am concerned that my art may be detached from reality once I begin creating with my soul detached from my flesh, but the pressure of continuing to make topical comics in Hong Kong is too great, I am forced to leave.

I’ve been making topical comics for 11 years, I’ve thought about giving up in 2017 when the social movement was at a low point. I considered transitioning to more slice of life topics in 2021, but that was when HK least and most needed topical comics, I wanted to hang in there. Forgive me, I am weak, I can only accompany HK by creating art from afar.

I had to leave in a hurry, and must keep a low profile, so I regret not being able to bid all my friends farewell. I feel much guilt when I think of my readers who’ve supported me all the way, our comrades who are imprisoned or awaiting trial, and my wife who’s forced to flee with me.

I had no idea posting this would be so difficult, every word I type makes me so sad. I shall carry this guilt with me and speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves.

I hope that the history books of HK will not be filled with silence. In the future, as we try to remember what happened, we’ll have more to rely on beyond the fragmented memories of people who were there. Without expression free, it’s hard to express our feelings.

Take care kind folk, and may kindness be preserved in its many forms.”

23rd Hong Kong Dance Awards 2022

The 23rd Hong Kong Dance Awards were presented in an online ceremony streamed live this month. A total of 20 awards including two Lifetime Achievement Awards and 18 jury awards were presented by emcees Irene Lo and Shirley Loong and accepted remotely by the winners.

Over 50 nominations were shortlisted in 15 categories, covering work created between January 2020 and December 2021. Hong Kong Dance Alliance Chair Allen Lam said “While it was sad that the traditional Awards Ceremony and Gala Performance could not be held due to the current pandemic restrictions. The quality of the shortlisted nominations shows the strength and resilience of the Hong Kong dance community, which has overcome the obstacles of the pandemic over the past two years to create so much truly exceptional work.”

Co-Chair of the Awards Jury, Natasha Rogai, added “In 15 years of working on the Awards, I have never seen stronger shortlists – there were several categories where two awards were presented and all the shortlisted nominations were worthy of an award.”

The Tom Brown Emerging Choreographer Award went to Kelvin Mak, artistic director of Beyond Dance Theater, whose powerful Remnants was named Outstanding Medium Venue Production sharing that award with City Contemporary Dance Company’s Days Are Numbered, which featured choreography by Justyne Li, Bruce Wong and Jennifer Mok.

Kelvin Mak said “I would like to thank the late Mr. Tom Brown for his support to the local dance scene, and to us emerging artists. I hope that this goodwill, passion, and spirit can be inherited and passed on.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to two women who have contributed to the development of dance in Hong Kong for decades: Tania Tang and Professor Shen Shir Ming.

Accepting the award, Professor Shen commented “I can see that the Hong Kong Dance Alliance set their sights beyond traditional definitions of dance; rather than simply focusing on choreography and performance, they aim to establish exchange and collaboration on all levels of the creative process between the dance sector and other industries, so that talents in dance may develop in a cross-disciplinary manner.”

Ms Tang said “Looking back, there were only a few foreign ballet teachers in Hong Kong. Nowadays, we are all witnessing a diverse ecology of dance arts in Hong Kong taking root and thriving. To the many generations of dancers to come, we must remain steadfast in our beliefs and work ethic; to all workers related to dance, we need to face all challenges head-on, and pass on the torch.”

https://youtu.be/eG-V11243pU

香港舞蹈年獎 2022 網上直播 23rd Hong Kong Dance Awards Presentation (https://youtu.be/eG-V11243pU)

23rd Hong Kong Dance Awards Winners

Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer
Huang Lei
Nine Songs, Hong Kong Dance Company and Freespace

Shen Jie as Romeo
Romeo + Juliet, Hong Kong Ballet

Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer
Hua Chi Yu
Nine Songs, Hong Kong Dance Company and Freespace

Outstanding Ensemble Performance
Dancers of Hong Kong Dance Company
Nine Songs, Hong Kong Dance Company and Freespace

Outstanding Music Composition
Leung Po Wing
I Don’t Mean It, City Contemporary Dance Company Dance Centre

Outstanding Set and Costume Design
Gabriela Tylesova and Albert Au: The Nutcracker, Hong Kong Ballet

Outstanding Choreography
Mui Cheuk Yin
Diary VII • The Story of……, Tai Kwun

Septime Webre
The Nutcracker, Hong Kong Ballet

Outstanding Online Production
Convergence, Hong Kong Dance Company and Freespace

Lifetime Achievement Award
Professor Shen Shir Ming
Ms Tania Tang

images:
Five Tiny Dances – Carbon Footprint – Keith Hiro
Nine Songs – Mak Cheong Wai
Convergence – Hong Kong Dance Company

46th Hong Kong International Film Festival

Originally scheduled for March, the postponed 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival will now run from 15-31 August 2022.

Similar to last year’s HKIFF45, the festival will feature a mix of in-person and online screenings and events. The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society will announce the HKIFF46 programme in July.

Aaron Kwok returns as festival ambassador for the fourth consecutive year saying that “There is no better platform for the Hong Kong public to reconnect with the best cinema offers.”

46th Hong Kong International Film Festival
Date: 15-31 August, 2022
Venue: various
Tickets: tbc