HRF believes that Hong Kong is in a unique and important position to fight against the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party. We also believe that international advocacy is an important aspect of grassroots activism, and would like to lend our expertise in this area to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy cause.
Ever since the passage of the draconian National Security Law, Hong Kong’s freedom movement needs more support than ever from the international community.
HRF’s Work
United Nations Advocacy
We have established working relationships with Hong Kong activists on-the-ground and around the world to support our international legal advocacy, which includes filing petitions and urgent appeals before the UN Human Rights Council.
Read our submissions to the UN Human Rights Council:
Regarding the imprisonment of the Umbrella Nine
Regarding the arrest of Johnson Yeung
Regarding the tipoff hotline for the National Security Law
High-Impact Events
OFF is a human rights conference dubbed by The Economist as the Davos for human rights, has featured speakers and participants from Hong Kong such as Nathan Law, Denise Ho, Johnson Yeung, Badiucao, and Natalie Hui. OFF gives the platform to activist voices and helps them connect with global policymakers, international media, and fellow changemakers.
HRF’s COVIDCon showcased how authoritarian regimes have weaponized the pandemic. The live event featured Hong Kong activists Joshua Wong and Frances Hui, and was attended by more than 3,500 people from across the world.
Looking Back at the Tiananmen Massacre
To commemorate the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, HRF invited activists as they put historical events in the context of Xi Jinping’s authoritarian regime. Speakers included Hong Kong activist journalist Frances Hui and founding director of Hong Kong Democracy Council Samuel M. Chu.
The Rise of Digital Authoritarianism: China, AI, and Human Rights
In partnership with Stanford University, HRF examined China’s role as an emerging AI global superpower and highlighted the implications for human rights. Quartz journalist Mary Hui shared how global businesses in Hong Kong are responding to the National Security Law.
Reports
During the 2019 protests in Hong Kong, foreign companies doing business in China saw increased intimidation from the Chinese government to fall in line with party ideology. To analyze this trend and provide recommendations to companies who want to conduct business in an ethical manner, HRF published Corporate Intimidation & Censorship in China: Recommendations for Foreign Companies.
Social Media
On social media and in online media, we are helping keep Hongkonger’s fight for democracy in the spotlight. Our social media posts about Hong Kong have garnered millions of impressions, and we have written about Beijing’s influence in foreign companies, online censorship, and other topics related to the protests.
Track Hong Kong Desk’s work
Follow us on Twitter @HRF and @HRF_cn (Chinese language), on Facebook and on Instagram.
Inquiries
Email us at hk@hrf.org, or message us on social media.
We can’t do it without you.
HRF remains committed to amplifying the voices and stories of Hongkongers and their struggle for freedom.
Your support is critical to sustain and expand HRF’s advocacy for democracy in Hong Kong. Help us expand our work to raise China and Hong Kong’s government’s suppression of liberties to a supranational level by filing petitions and urgent appeals to UN Human Rights Council Special Procedures, produce research, reports, and advocacy to maintain international attention on the subject, and help hold perpetrators of human rights abuses in Hong Kong accountable.