Five jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy activists nominated for 2022 Nobel Peace Prize
DHARAMSALA, 22 April: Five jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize by 15 academics from 10 countries.
“We write to nominate Hong Kong prisoners of conscience Chow Hang-tung, Gwyneth Ho, Jimmy Lai, Lee Cheak-yan, and Joshua Wong for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize,” the academics have said in a letter sent in January to the members of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.
Declaring the jailed pro-democracy activists represents hundreds of other Hongkongers who are facing the brunt of the city’s draconian “National Security Law imposed on Hong Kong in mid-2020 by leaders of the Chinese government in Beijing,” the academics have said that honouring them with the award will “underscore the highest moral aspirations of humanity.”
“The principles that they act upon undergird human rights and human dignity everywhere, and their voices emerge at a time when human rights and dignity are coming under ever-greater pressure around the world,” the academics have said and added that “A Peace Prize to Hong Kong prisoners of conscience in 2022 would underscore the highest moral aspirations of humanity.”
This is the third nomination for the people of Hong Kong for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The nomination was filed in recognition of the peaceful efforts of Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, Alex Chow and the entire pro-democracy Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong to bring political reform and self-determination to Hong Kong and protect the autonomy and freedom guaranteed to Hong Kong in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
“I have nominated the people of Hong Kong, who risk their lives and security every day to stand up for freedom of speech and basic democracy, to the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020,” Guri Melby, an MP from Oslo and a Liberal Party politician tweeted then as she announced her nomination.
