One of the movements behind the massive pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019 announced its disbandment on Sunday (15). CHRF (acronym for Civil Human Rights Front) said it faced “unprecedented challenges”.
The group was founded in 2002 to advocate non-violence and has given rise to numerous protests in Hong Kong to advance human rights. In 2019, he mobilized millions of people on the streets of the city during pro-democracy protests.
Most of the CHRF activists were arrested, including former leaders of the pro-democracy movement Jimmy Sham and Figo Chan. About 30 other civil society organizations in Hong Kong have already dissolved for fear of repression, according to an AFP poll.
The CHRF decision comes amid a police investigation for possible violations of safety legislation. The group said they held a meeting on Friday (13) in which the members decided to go their separate ways.
“Last year, the government continued to use the epidemic as an excuse to reject demands for protests by CHRF and other groups,” the organization said in a statement on Sunday.
The PRGF said approximately $ 205,000 in assets would be donated to other organizations.
The disbandment comes following a similar move led by the Professional Teachers’ Union after it was criticized by Chinese state media and Hong Kong authorities, raising concerns over the crackdown on the opposition movement of the city.
The decision also casts a shadow over the future of the July 1 rally, which marks the transfer of the former British colony to Beijing in 1997 and which traditionally sees thousands of people taking to the streets in protest against the government.