The new iPhone encryption does not stop them from accessing copies of your pictures or whatever that are uploaded to, for example, Apple's cloud service, which are still legally accessible because those are not encrypted. It only protects what's physically on the phone.

The question for us is not what new story will come out next. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

That's the key - to maintain the garden of liberty, right? This is a generational thing that we must all do continuously. We only have the rights that we protect. It doesn't matter what we say or think we have. It's not enough to believe in something; it matters what we actually defend.

Look at the reactions of liberal governments to the surveillance revelations during the last years. In the United States, we've got this big debate, but we've got official paralysis - because they're the ones who had their hand caught most deeply in the cookie jar.

The issue I brought forward most clearly was that of mass surveillance, not of surveillance in general.

The work of a generation is beginning here, with your hearings, and you have the full measure of my gratitude and support.

My intention is to ask the courts and people of Hong Kong to decide my fate.