US lawyer faces police over National Security Law

American Laywer John Clancey, the first foreigner to be arrested in connection with Hong Kong's new National Security Law, went back into a police station Sunday, following a surprise request from police Friday.

Across Hong Kong, dozens of others including former lawmakers and democracy advocates who were arrested at the same time as Clancey had to do the same Sunday.

Before going into a suburban police station near his home, Clancey emphasised his belief in building a better society in Hong Kong "based on human rights, and working for democracy" and said that for now, he was not worried about what would happen to him in the police station.

Others in the same boat as Clancey who were called into police stations Sunday have said they may be charged and then refused bail, which is one of the new features of the National Security Law.

On 6 January 2021, police arrested 55 people in connection with a primary election organised by the pro-democracy camp in July 2020.

That primary was intended to help select candidates for the Legislative Council election scheduled for September 2020, but was then postponed by the government citing COVID-19 fears.

Hong Kong authorities and pro-Beijing politicians have claimed that the primary election was a form of subversion, which is outlawed by the National Security Law.

Clancey has lived in Hong Kong since the 1960s, first as a Christian missionary, then as a lawyer.

For decades, he has had close links with the pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong.