Five years after a summer of protest, Hong Kong exiles are still rebuilding their lives

To mark the fifth anniversary of the historic 2019 protests in Hong Kong, RFA profiled four Hong Kong expats based in the D.C. area. They reflect on the city they left behind and how it has devolved into what it is today. RFA reporter Jim Snyder, photojournalist Gemunu Amarasinghe and London correspondent Amelia Loi paint a layered portrait of four Hong Kong refugees—including a former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council—providing rare insight into a life in exile.

Crackdown in Hong Kong

Five years after fleeing Hong Kong amid Beijing’s imposition of a draconian national security law in 2019, exiled Hong Kong expats are now navigating a disorienting life as political refugees. Many have severed ties with family and friends back home, coming to terms with the fact that they may never be able to return. 

Looking back: Since 2019 many of the millions that fled Hong Kong face persistent transnational repression, as Beijing extends its long-arm law enforcement to clamp down on dissent beyond its borders.

On-the-ground impact: Hong Kong has only imposed further restrictions, including the most recent national security law under Article 23, which forced many international news outlets and bureaus to shut down, including Radio Free Asia’s.

Under these measures, thousands of demonstrators, activists and lawmakers have been arrested, including media magnate Jimmy Lai, who is currently on trial.

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