Beijing slams West for criticising Hong Kong court verdict in Tiananmen vigil case

Beijing slams West for criticising Hong Kong court verdict in Tiananmen vigil case Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian hits out at ‘certain countries and organisations’ for using judicial cases to smear Hong Kong Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian used a regular press briefing on Monday to hit out at “certain countries and organisations” for using the case to smear Hong Kong and denigrate its rule of law. Albert Ho Chun-yan, another former alliance chairman, previously pleaded guilty. The ruling triggered criticism from the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia, which characterised it as an example of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong. US Assistant Secretary of State Riley Barnes called for the defendants’ immediate release, while UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said residents should be allowed to speak without fear of arrest or prosecution.