Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong to speak at Singapore conference
Joshua Wong addressing reporters in Hong Kong in October. Photo: AFP/Anthony Wallace
Hong Kong student activist Joshua Wong will be among the speakers at a forthcoming conference in Singapore, albeit remotely.
The 20-year-old secretary general of the Demosisto political party will address the audience via Skype at the event, titled “Civil Disobedience and Social Movements”, on 26 November.
It’s organised by the Community Action Network (CAN), a Singapore-based non-governmental organisation concerned with freedom of expression, and civil and political rights.
Speaking to Yahoo Singapore, CAN spokesman Jolovan Wham said, “Joshua Wong and his colleagues are at the forefront of an important democratic movement in Hong Kong. It would be good to hear his thoughts about the situation there and the lessons we can learn from the movement in Hong Kong.”
Asked if the organisers anticipated any possible issues with Singapore authorities, Wham said, “This is going to be an indoor event, and he’s not going to be physically present, so I think we should be fine.”
He added, “We don’t want to waste the air ticket and get him deported. I think he’s also sick and tired of being deported.”
In October, Wong was detained overnight at a Bangkok airport and eventually deported back to Hong Kong. He had been due to speak at Chulalongkorn University, but was placed by Thai authorities on a travel blacklist at Beijing’s request.
In May 2015, Wong was also refused entry to Kuala Lumpur, after being invited to take part in academic talks on democracy in China.
The firebrand activist shot to fame as one of the main leaders of Occupy Central, the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests in 2014, which drew tens of thousands onto the streets.
Email queries to Wong had not been answered by press time.
