Third HK pan-democrat barred from Macau

A third pan-democrat from Hong Kong has been denied entry into Macau, the South China Morning Post reported yesterday.

Civic Party district councilor Andy Yu was stopped by immigration services in Macau yesterday morning, as he attempted to enter the territory.

He was refused entry for the same reason that two other Hong Kong legislators and four journalists from the territory were barred from entering Macau last week – because, in the words of local authorities, they constituted “a threat to internal security and stability.”

Yu claims that he was visiting the city for tourism purposes and was helping to lead a group of about 60 Hong Kong residents for a single-day trip to the MSAR. He was held up by immigration services for more than two hours before being asked to sign an entry refusal notification.

According to the SCMP, the notification informed Yu that “there are strong references that you intend to enter the Macau SAR to participate in certain activities which may jeopardize the public security or public order of the Macau SAR.”

Yu said that “the so-called reason was inconsistent with facts.”

Instead, the Hong Kong lawmaker believes that the decision was linked to the upcoming Macau Legislative Election, which is due to take place on September 17.

Several journalists were banned from entering the territory last week as they tried to report on the aftermath of Typhoon Hato. The incident provoked a reaction from journalists’ associations in Hong Kong and Macau, which expressed concerns for press freedom.