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Kevin Yam 任建峰

@kevinkfyam.bsky.social
814 followers 122 following 127 posts

@kevinkfyam on Twitter. PhD candidate, Melbourne Law School. Senior Fellow @georgetowncal.bsky.social. Activist/ex-lawyer, #HongKong. Cricket tragic. AFL Hawks fan. Foodie. Views my own.

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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
A huge thanks to Law Council of Australia, the country’s peak national legal body, for speaking out against my Hong Kong disbarment within a day of it being made public. My disbarment is not just about me. It is a reflection of where the Hong Kong legal system is at right now.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
Here is my response to being struck off from the roll of Hong Kong Solicitors, which was made public today in the Hong Kong Government Gazette. (Link to Gazette entry: www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/eng...)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
I am grateful to Foreign Minister Penny Wong for this. Not all transnational repression are this brazen - they can be quite subtle or even take on airs of due process. I hope the Australian Government will act against all forms of transnational repression. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Penny Wong complained to China about intimidation of exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners
Exclusive: Foreign affairs minister used July meeting on Asean sidelines to elevate criticism of targeting of Adelaide-based Ted Hui and Melbourne-based Kevin Yam
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Great to see @badiucao.bsky.social, Cheng Lei, Kylie Moore-Gilbert and many other friends at Badi’s exhibition at Goldstone Gallery in Melbourne last night!
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
The HK Government extended the terms of 3 HK Court of Final Appeal non-Permanent Judges by another 3 years. One of them is former Australian High Court Justice William Gummow. His extension at a time when Hong Kong’s crackdown on dissent continues to intensify is highly disappointing.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
Tried doing a half marathon race for the first time at the ripe old age of nearly 49! Am pretty slow, but the main thing is to get to the finish line. The road is long, and I’m always that so many of you are running and fighting alongside me.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
This piece reminds me of one thing that I often get asked, which is whether China’s current attempts to force-feed “patriotic” propaganda in Hong Kong through education, media and the like would turn HK people into pro-CCP Chinese nationalists, like at least… (1/7) apnews.com/article/hong...
apnews.com
Hong Kong's security net extends beyond arrests as small businesses pressured
It’s been years since Hong Kong’s mass arrests of activists devastated its pro-democracy activism. But a crackdown on dissent in the semi-autonomous Chinese city is still expanding, hitting restaurant...
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Today marks the 5th anniversary of Hong Kong’s National Security Law. This day 5 years ago, things were going very well for me - I just got promoted from salaried partner to equity partner at an international law firm. 5 years on, I am now a PhD student with a HKNSL bounty over my head. (1/3)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
Hong Kong solicitor and democracy movement veteran Albert Ho has had his right to practice as a solicitor suspended for 3 months and ordered to pay HK$180000 in the costs of the Hong Kong Law Society in prosecuting him. He was found to have “engaged in conduct … (1/4)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
I have nothing against Jimmy O. Yang talking up Hong Kong (hey, lots of HK shops and eateries are doing it tough), nor his outdated nostalgia about the city he once called home. But I do object to him taking blood money from a repressive regime that caused HK’s doldrums.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Downloading and playing an online game (and paying to play the game and for certain of its settings and features) is now considered national security crimes in Hong Kong. It’s the best advertisement that the makers of the game can have.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
On this day 13 years ago, Tiananmen activist Li Wangyang was killed by PRC days after he gave a defiant interview to Hong Kong media. On this day, jailed HK democracy activist Joshua Wong has more trumped up NatSec charges piled on him. RIP Li Wangyang. Free Joshua Wong.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
The last time Hong Kong had a water safety scandal, it was Democrat Helena Wong who called the authorities to account and forced them to fix things quickly after they initially tried to fob things off just like now. Helena is now in prison on trumped-up NatSec charges. www.scmp.com/news/hong-ko...
scmp.com
Hongkongers demand answers after banned substance found in estate’s water supply
Government is expected to release details of its test results later on Thursday, insider reveals.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
History will not be forgotten, even if tyrants spent 36 years trying to wipe out all memory and hope. Let us also remember the likes of Hong Kong political prisoner Chow Hang Tung, who is on a 36-hour hunger strike as an act of remembrance. Lest We Forget. #TiananmenMassacre
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
The Law Society of South Australia has spoken out against attempts to intimidate lawyer Ted Hui, which coincides with Hong Kong’s ruthless authoritarian turn in recent years. I’m not holding my breath for the Law Society of Hong Kong to speak out in my defence.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
Great musical with lots of meaning for those of us fighting tyranny. The performance was brilliant. Alas - the lady who sat to my left thought that she was at karaoke, and it was not always easy to block out her at best very ordinary voice and focus on the performance.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
I won’t go into details, but I know for a fact that this abusive use of HK tax authorities to go after critics of HK and Chinese governments is not confined to HK-based independent media companies and journalists. hongkongfp.com/2025/05/21/h...
hongkongfp.com
HK's independent news sector faces simultaneous tax audits, demands
Hong Kong's independent news sector, including companies, staff and family members, are facing simultaneous tax audits and backdated demands, a press union says.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
I have been a disillusioned Catholic for a while now, thanks mainly to the Holy See’s caving into China. But compared with the social media tidal wave of “Christians” (they really mean a certain type of … (1/3)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
OK - Poilievre has a fellow Conservative giving up their own safe seat to facilitate Poilievre returning to Canadian Parliament. I somehow can’t see anyone in the Coalition party room giving up a safe seat for Dutton to return to Australian Parliament. #auspol #cdnpoli
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
Donald Trump has now lost elections in Germany, Canada and Australia.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
The party that governed and campaigned from the moderate, sensible centre has won the election with a swing towards it. Proud to be Labor. #auspol
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
Fantastic profile of my mate Ted Hui. And it would be great if Ted can become an Australian parliamentarian! www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/li...
theage.com.au
He evaded Beijing’s clutches. But this Adelaide lawyer is still a wanted man
A fake climate conference, friends in far-flung places … a pro-democracy activist reveals the story of his dramatic escape from Hong Kong.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
ANZAC Day glorifying war? What? The whole idea of choosing 25 April to commemorate veterans was to remind everyone of the futility and callousness of Empire in using Aussie and Kiwi boys as cannon fodder in Gallipoli. Stop smearing ANZAC Day. www.theage.com.au/politics/vic...
theage.com.au
Pro-Palestine group sends teachers classroom guide challenging ‘Anzac mythology’
Teachers for Palestine want schoolchildren taught about Australian soldiers acting as ‘enforcers of Empire’ in post-WWI Egypt.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
Watch for endless talk of doomsday if Pietro Parolin becomes Pope, with attempts to cast him as “Peter the Roman” in the alleged prophecies of St Malachy.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
Life as a person wanted by China/Hong Kong on trumped up political charges is never straightforward, and I would be lying if I were to say that I never feel worn down. But there is no better pick-me-up than going down to the MCG to support my mighty Hawks!
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
1. This resignation means, amongst other things, that there are now no former Australian High Court Chief Justices serving on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. (1/6)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
You know you’re speeding headlong towards authoritarianism when people start spouting “good emperor, bad mandarins” narratives…
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
One of the stories from Trumpism is that his support from the financial world had tended to come from buy-side guys (eg hedge funds, private equity) while sell-side guys (eg investment bankers) tended to stay neutral or backed Democrats. How idiotic do buy-side guys look now?
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
“Inspired by Banksy’s subversiveness” tells you everything that is wrong with significant sections of the art world. Tbh Banksy isn’t subversive - he makes moderately edgy points in places where doing so carry no consequences apart … (1/4)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
There is bipartisanship in Australian politics on not cosying up geopolitically to authoritarian China (the lease was granted by a territory level conservative government, and neither major party lined the deal at a federal level), even if the US might be less reliable nowadays.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
A lesson on businesspeople and authoritarians: businesspeople think they can side with authoritarians to get rid of things that they don’t like (eg workers’ rights, regulations, corporate taxes) while their wealth would keep authoritarians … (1/3) www.reuters.com/markets/view...
reuters.com
VIEW Investors react to Trump tariff announcement
U.S. President Donald Trump further escalated a trade war on Wednesday by announcing he would impose reciprocal tariffs to match duties put on U.S. goods by other countries.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
NOW THIS IS COURAGE.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
This is another case where the 4 local judges are deadlocked 2-2, and on this occasion the Australian judge James Allsop broke the deadlock by siding with Chief Justice Cheung and Justice Ribeiro to convict Lam Cheuk-ting. hongkongfp.com/2025/04/01/b...
hongkongfp.com
Top HK court overturns acquittal of democrat over ICAC disclosure
The top court has sided with the government in overturning the acquittal of an ex-lawmaker who disclosed a misconduct probe into a police officer.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
So 6 #HongKong officials have been sanctioned by the US for their roles in, amongst other things, the transnational repression of HK democracy activists in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. It is time the UK, Canadian and Australian governments followed suit … (1/4)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
Paul Chiang, why don’t you f***ing try having a f***ing bounty placed over your similarly bald (like mine) f***ing head by the world’s biggest authoritarian state and see how you f***ing feel about your c***ish remarks. Your apology is not accepted.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 29/03/2025
So Chinese antitrust regulators put a hold on Hutchison’s Panama port deal. In addition, subject to working through complex deal and corporate structures and any Stock Exchange Listing Rules issues, under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, … (1/3)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Another strong response from Senator Penny Wong after Ted Hui also got the same sorts of threatening letters that I received. Ted and I are lucky to have the support of Australian Government and media - when are their UK counterparts … (1/2) Weblink: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
The fact that Americans seem surprised and disappointed with how big US commercial law firms have caved in the face of Trumpist authoritarianism shows how little Americans have noticed how their corporate and legal titans have behaved overseas. Examples from Hong Kong include the following: (1/4)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
Personally I should thank @thetimes.com for letting its British audience know about my plight. But why didn’t it and many of the major UK media cover identical things happening in the UK to @carmenlau.bsky.social and Tong Chung back in February? If there was more noise … (1/3)
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Thank you to Melbourne’s The Age for publishing my op-ed on the wider implications for Australia-China relations arising from the latest threats against Hui and me. (1/2) Op-Ed Weblink: www.theage.com.au/national/i-h...
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
And if you think what the Chinese Communist Party is doing to me is nasty, look at what they’re doing to Ted Hui - they are trying to exploit Australia’s social divisions for transnational repression purposes. Real evil stuff. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Fake pamphlets accusing former Hong Kong legislator of being a pro-Israel lawyer sent to Adelaide mosques
Exclusive: Lawyer Ted Hui says leaflet’s claims are ‘totally incorrect’ as Australian authorities raise concerns with China
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
I have no comments on this report save for the following: 1. I thank Senator Penny Wong and Senator James Paterson. 2. I will continue to live my everyday life. 3. I will not voluntarily return to Hong Kong before it is free. 4. I will not kill myself. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...
theguardian.com
Melbourne residents receive letter offering $200k for information on Hong Kong pro-democracy activist
Exclusive: The anonymous letter contained a photograph of Kevin Yam, a lawyer who has criticised the crackdown on dissent in the Chinese-controlled city
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Mahmoud Khalil is the Voltairean Test of our time. (FWIW I despise his views) Actually even in self-interest terms Khalil should be defended even by those who have problems with his views. If they can do it to Khalil today, they (or another mob) can do it to you one day too.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
It’s time major parties in Australia grasp the historic opportunity of luring world class researchers to Australia, a country with academic freedom (unlike China and parts of Asia), good weather and living environment, lower cost of living, relatively safe cities etc. www.wsj.com/health/healt...
wsj.com
Johns Hopkins Plans Staff Layoffs After $800 Million Grant Cuts
Local and international health research efforts are already winding down as the university braces for even more potential cuts.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Mediating between police and protesters to try and prevent escalation makes you a rioter in Hong Kong. The absurdity never ends.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
The US-led massive stock markets falls across the West may have the unintended (or intended?) impact of making Hong Kong stock market a less unattractive place for new listings, as the post-covid gap between Hong Kong and Western stock markets valuations narrow. www.reuters.com/markets/us/i...
reuters.com
Investors flee equities as Trump-driven uncertainty sparks economic worry
Investor fears that trade tariffs will spark an economic downturn are driving a sell-off in equities that has wiped out trillions of dollars in value, a major reversal for Wall Street which had been fired-up by President Donald Trump's agenda.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
When Taylor Swift chose Singapore over Hong Kong, the face-saving out for Hong Kong back then was that its world-class 50000-seater mega-venue was still being built. But for Lady Gaga to choose SG AFTER HK’s Kai Tak Stadium has opened is a real blow to HK’s prestige.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over. The days of rule by unelected kleptocrats have begun.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Some personal news: in accordance with university milestones requirements, one year into my PhD at Melbourne Law School, I am now confirmed as a PhD candidate! I thank my PhD supervisors, supervisory committee chair, and academic assessor. AND I DEDICATE MY PHD TO BENNY TAI.
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Kevin Yam 任建峰 @kevinkfyam.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
The last time a US Government deliberately put its economy into a deep recession was when the Fed (before it became more independent as it is now) hiked interest rates in the early days of the Reagan Administration. But this policy had rigorous intellectual foundations in terms of … (1/4)
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