Former Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung defended his decision to publish the private details of 18 teachers online.
Those individuals were prosecuted for protest-related offences linked to last year's unrest.
While some have slammed Leung's move for breaching privacy laws, he's said he's letting parents know which teachers are part of a "bad minority."
Scroll down for the full script.
(Aired on ViuTVSix on 18 October 2020)
Full Script:
After dozens of complaints and accusations of being "Cultural Revolution-esque," CY Leung hit back today, once more taking aim at Hong Kong's teachers.
The ex-CE on Thursday named and shamed 18 teachers who've been arrested for their part in last year's political unrest.
He defended his actions, saying he wanted to find out what radicalised young people to come out and protest.
(Soundbite, CY LEUNG, Vice-chairman, CPPCC National Committee)
"Where did these young people get infected from? Who were their close contacts? I believe some of the fault lies in teachers. These are the black sheep, the minority in schools. Teachers have privacy too. But don't parents also have the right to know?"
The now vice-chair of Beijing's top advisory body faces over a dozen complaints filed to the Privacy Commissioner for what he did.
The list he posted had names, ages and the schools those teachers worked in.
Activist Isaac Cheng, who often campaigns on education topics, told ViuTV News that Leung should take down the details, and publicly apologise.
(Soundbite, ISAAC CHENG, Pro-democracy activist)
"Those teachers, we cannot see that there is really guilty things that they have done. Comparing to the teachers committed real crime, those teachers are only holding values, including the freedom of speech, the human rights, things et cetera."
He also urged the former CE to stop putting pressure on teachers.
"When CY Leung pushing a lot of political pressure to those teachers, actually also (he's) threatening students that if you holding those values it is not accepted by the government."
The Hong Kong government has given no comment so far on its former leader's actions.
But Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said in his blog today there's "no time to lose" to help young people understand the country, and integrate into the country's development plans.
He added it is a duty for schools to teach national education, saying that - if necessary - the SAR government will offer support to schools and teachers.
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