Ted Hui, a former pro-democratic Hong Kong legislator, announced on Dec. 3 from Denmark that he is going into exile, with plans to move with his family to the United Kingdom.
“There is no word to describe my pain, and I can’t hold back tears,” he said of the news.
Hui has been a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council since 2016 and is regarded as a “reformer of the Democratic Party.” In November, he resigned alongside other pan-democracy camp lawmakers to protest the Hong Kong government’s decision to disqualify four pro-democracy legislators from the council.
Hui was serving as district councillor for the Democratic Party representing the Central and Western District of Hong Kong.
He was released on bail but had to report to his local police station on a regular basis.
Last week, a Hong Kong government prosecutor asked the court to order that Hui hand over his travel documents on the grounds that he was no longer a member of the Legislative Council. However, the chief judge of the District Court refused, granting continued bail under the original conditions. Hui also got permission from the court to leave Hong Kong in his official capacity.
Taiwanese media reported that after learning that Hui intended to go into exile, “two Danish parliament members offered to provide assistance.” They asked the Danish parliament to extend an official invitation to Hui.
Uffe Elbaek, a member of the Danish opposition parliament who has been following the unfolding crisis in Hong Kong, told local Danish media that Hui had visited Denmark to discuss the issue of Hong Kong demonstrations, and that climate change activities were just “a disguise.”
His words and deeds were deemed by Hong Kong establishment members and most remaining Hong Kong media as a violation of China’s National Security Law now enforced in Hong Kong.
“I will never emigrate, and I will never be able to take root in another place. My only home is Hong Kong.” He said “I will definitely go home and embrace everyone in tears when the bells of freedom ring in a free Hong Kong.”
He said he would continue the fight for Hong Kong’s freedom from the CCP from overseas. “Until my last breath I will fight to the end. Free Hong Kong, revolution now!”
Hui now joins prominent pro-democracy activist Nathan Law, as well activists Ray Wong, Alan Li, Sunny Cheung, Honcques Lausas, and Wayne Chan in exile.
“If this is how Hong Kong treats prominent pro-democracy activists, then the international community must watch closely for how Hong Kong treats the thousands awaiting their day in court and those charged under the National Security Law. I stand in solidarity with all Hong Kongers who are watching as their long-cherished freedoms are robbed by a corrupt and cruel regime in Beijing.”
