Religion & Liberty Online Archives

International Affairs

Elections in Hong Kong ratify Beijing’s control

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is completing the destruction of the old Hong Kong. The last vestiges of free expression and democratic choice are disappearing. On January 4, the media site Citizen News closed due to the deteriorating legal environment. Continue Reading...

Jimmy Lai ranked No. 1 on press freedom coalition’s “10 Most Urgent” list

Every month, the One Free Press Coalition issues its “10 Most Urgent” list, ranking the most harrowing challenges to press freedom from around the world in order of urgency. Jimmy Lai, a 74-year-old Hong Kong entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist currently serving a 20-month prison sentence on national security charges, topped this month’s list, as the coalition focused on press freedom in China in light of the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics. Continue Reading...

China and Russia don’t know why they were excluded from the “Summit for Democracy”

Presidential summits tend to focus on PR rather than substance. The Biden administration’s “Summit for Democracy” looks no different. Its objectives were worthy. As the State Department explained it, President Joe Biden planned to “bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action.” Continue Reading...