Hong Kong’s Gay Rights Advocates Fear Civil Crackdown May Undo Progress
- 2018 ruling on spouse visa was a key win for city’s gay rights
- Prominent human rights lawyer abruptly left for UK in April
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Hong Kong’s crackdown on social activism is threatening to undo progress for gay rights, once considered validation of the city’s reputation as Asia’s liberal, financial haven.
Well-known LGBTQ figures, including former lawmakers and singers, have been arrested or jailed for their political activism. The national security law imposed following the violent protests of 2019 has also exacerbated the pandemic’s restrictive impact, forcing the suspension of the annual Pride marches and prompting human rights lawyers to leave the city.